The X-15 Rocket Plane
Flying the First Wings Into Space

Flight Log

byby Michelle
Michelle Evans
Evans

The X-15 Rocket Plane
Flying the First Wings Into Space

Flight Log
by Michelle Evans

Cover Photograph, courtesy NASA
Copyright © 2020 Mach 25 MediaAll rights reserved
Mach 25 Media: www.Mach25Media.com

Mach 25 Media

Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
A. Flight Log Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
B. Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2. X-15 SPECIFICATIONS
A. X-15A Dimensions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
B. X-15A-2 Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
3. X-15 FLIGHT TEST PROGRAM
A. The High Range . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
B. Power for the X-15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
C. The X-15 Program: Research at High Mach. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
D. Aircraft Disposition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
E. Flight Designation Markings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
F. General Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
4. PROGRAM SUMMARY
A. Aircraft Flight Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
B. Organization Flight Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
C. Pilot Flight Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
D. Speed and Altitude Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
E. B-52 Flight Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
F. Aircraft Records. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
G. Astronaut Qualification Flights. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
H. In-Flight Emergencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
I. Launch Lake Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
J. B-52 Pilot Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
K. Chase Pilot Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
L. Launch Panel Operators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
5. X-15 PROGRAM PATCHES
A. Original X-15 Program Patch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
B. New X-15 Program Patch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
C. North American Aviation Patch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
6. X-15 FLIGHT LOG
001 - 003: 1-1
2-1
004 - 008: 2-3
1-2
009 - 015: 1-3
2-7
016 - 010: 1-8
2-9
021 - 026: 1-12
1-13
027 - 033: 1-17
2-11
034 - 038: 2-13
2-14
039 - 044: 1-22
2-18
045 - 049: 2-21
3-1
050 - 054: 1-26
3-4
055 - 060: 2-23
1-29
061 - 066: 1-31
3-7
067 - 072: 3-9
2-27
073 - 078: 3-11
2-31
079 - 084: 3-15
1-34
085 - 090: 3-19
1-36
091 - 094: 3-22
1-39
095 - 100: 1-41
3-24

2-2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
2-4
2-5
2-6. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
2-8
1-4
1-5
1-6
1-7. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
1-9
1-10 1-11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
1-14
1-15
1-16
2-10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
1-18
2-12
1-19
1-20
1-21. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
2-15
2-16
2-17. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
2-19
1-23
2-20
1-24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
1-25
3-2
3-3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
1-27
2-22
1-28. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
3-5
3-6
1-30
2-24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
2-25
1-32
3-8
2-26 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
2-28
2-29
3-10
2-30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
3-12
3-13
3-14
1-33 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
3-16
3-17
1-35 3-18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
3-20
1-37
1-38
3-21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
1-40
3-23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
1-42
1-43
3-25
1-44 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

101 - 106:107 - 111:
112 - 118:
119 - 123:
124 - 128:
129 - 134:
135 - 140:
141 - 145:
146 - 152:
153 - 157:
158 - 161:
162 - 168:169 - 173:174 - 177:
178 - 182:
183 - 187:
188 - 192:
193 - 198:
199:

3-26
1-48
3-31
1-50
3-38
1-53
3-43
2-41
2-42
1-61
2-44
2-46
1-67
3-56
3-58
3-60
2-53
1-75
1-81

3-27 1-45
1-46
1-47
3-28 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
3-29 2-32
1-49
3-30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
3-32 2-33
3-33
3-34
3-35
2-34. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
3-36 2-35
3-37
1-51. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
3-39 3-40
2-36
1-52. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
3-41 2-37
2-38
1-54
3-42 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
1-55 2-39
3-44
2-40
3-45 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
1-56 3-46
1-57
3-47. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
1-58 3-48
1-59
3-49
1-60
3-50. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
3-51 2-43
1-62
1-63. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
2-45 1-64
3-52 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
1-65 2-47
3-53 1-66
2-48
3-54. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
2-49 1-68
3-55
1-69. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
2-50 3-57
1-70 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
1-71 2-51
3-59
1-72. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
1-73 3-61
2-52
3-62. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
3-63 3-64
3-65
1-74. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
1-76 1-77
1-78
1-79
1-80 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Flight 200. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

7. TIMELINE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
8. GLOSSARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

2

1. Introduction
This Flight Log for the X-15 research aircraft is a supplement to the book “The X-15 Rocket Plane: Flying theFirst Wings Into Space,” published by the University of Nebraska Press as part of the “Outward Odyssey,
People’s History of Spaceflight” series. This flight log contains a program summary; basic information about
the X-15; a log of all captive flights, aborted flights, and research flights; a timeline which includes importantmilestone dates such as vehicle rollouts and other significant events; and a glossary of terms.

A. FLIGHT LOG FORMAT
Three X-15s were built. They were designated by their tail numbers: 56-6670, 56-6671, and 56-6672.
Flight Numbers
First Digit signifies the aircraft. 1 is 66670, 2 is 66671, and 3 is 66672.
Second Digit signifies A for Abort, C for Captive, or a numeral that signifies the number of actual releases.
Third Digit signifies the number of times that the X-15 was taken aloft, whether released or not.
Examples:
1. Flight 2-53-97 was the 97th time aircraft 2 (66671) was taken aloft but only the 53rd time it was
actually released from the B-52.
2. Flight 3-A-46 was the 46th time aircraft 3 (66672) was carried aloft, but the flight was aborted forweather or technical reasons after the B-52 took off, but before the X-15 was released.
3. Flight 1-C-1 was a scheduled Captive flight for aircraft 1 (66670). The X-15 was carried aloft for atechnical checkout and returned to Edwards AFB, still attached to the right wing pylon of the B-52.
Column 1
Flight/Pilot: The flight number as given in the above examples, followed by the pilot who flew themission. The number in parentheses after the pilot’s name signifies their current X-15 flight number.
Launch and Landing includes the exact time and area of those events for the X-15.
NOTE: All times for X-15 and B-52 are given in 24-hour format. Example: 15:21 is 3:21 p.m.
Duration is from the moment of X-15 launch until it came to a complete stop after landing.
Column 2
Engine Run and Duration are in seconds.
Altitude is in feet above mean sea level (MSL).
Distance is in statute miles. (to convert to nautical miles, multiply by 0.87)
Column 3
B-52/Pilots: Tail number of the carrier aircraft: NB-52A 52-003 (003) and NB-52B 52-008 (008). Pilots
are listed as Pilot & Copilot.
Duration is given in hours and minutes for total B-52 flight time from take off to landing.
Chase Pilots: Chase refers to aircraft that flew alongside the B-52/X-15 during flight for observationand photography. These aircraft included F-100, F-104, F-5D, F-4H, and T-38. Due to the extreme
speed of the X-15, separate chase aircraft were assigned to the launch from the B-52 and to landingat Edwards AFB, or remote lakebeds during emergency situations.

3B. RESEARCHThis X-15 Flight Log has taken years of research to compile. There is no single definitive source
available where all data found in this log can be located, so many different sources have had to be
identified and researched. When more than one source has any given piece of data, there is often acontradiction. A judgement must often be made as to the validity of the conflicting data. The criteria usedin this judgement must be how close these data are to the actual events, how was the data obtained,
and how was it recorded.
There are two primary sources for X-15 flight data: the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA) and the United States Air Force (USAF). NASA documents pertaining to the X-15
are primarily found at the Armstrong Flight Research Center, while USAF documents are found at the Air
Force Flight Test Center History Office. Both of these are located at Edwards Air Force Base in
California. Edwards AFB is where all the X-15 flights originated between 1959 and 1968.
NASA and USAF documents do not always agree on flight specifics. Since NASA was the leadorganization for the X-15 program and was responsible for disseminating all data gained from that
research, their records must be given priority when it comes to the X-15 itself. The B-52 carrier aircraft
was on loan from the USAF and, with a few exceptions, was flown by USAF pilots. For this reason, USAF
records are considered the primary source of information concerning the B-52.
Information surfaced after the first printing of this flight log that raised questions about some of thedata contained herein. A new set of records appeared that contradicted many numbers from this log,
primarily with concern to the X-15 launch and landing times and the B-52 takeoff and landing times. The
records in question have never been made available to researchers for validation, but further work wasundertaken to see if these new data could be independently verified through other sources and thus adecision made to be included in this and future revisions of the flight log.
For the X-15 data: A set of graphs was located which were created at the time of each X-15 flight using
the raw data recorded by instruments on board the X-15. This information was entered into a computerplotter and the results then output to these graphs. Prior to viewing these graphs, I was told that they are
considered the most accurate information on X-15 flights available. After looking at over 300 graphs thatcovered 144 out of the 199 X-15 flights (graphs from all flights are not available), my conclusion was thatsome of the original flight records were in error. Those errors have been corrected in this flight log.
However, the data that surfaced to instigate this new research was also found to be in error even more
often than the original data. With that basis I have stayed with the official Armstrong Flight ResearchCenter records except where directly contradicted by the flight data graphs.
For the B-52 data: In order to verify the B-52 takeoff and landing times I turned to the pilot who flew mostof the B-52 sorties during the X-15 program, Fitz Fulton. He kindly went back through his pilot flight hourlogs and was able to verify that the original numbers I had obtained through the USAF were very
accurate. No independent confirmation of the contradictory data has been found, so the original numbers
from the historical record have been retained.
In conclusion: There are many contradictory sets of research numbers connected to the X-15 program.
I believe that my research has uncovered the most accurate and verifiable data to date and these data
have been incorporated into this flight log. If new records come to light and can be properly scrutinizedand verified, then this flight log will be updated accordingly.

4

2.

X-15 Specifications

SIDE
FRONT

TOP

X-15A

Artwork created by Thommy ErikssonA.

X-15A DIMENSIONS
Length56’ 1.5”
55’ 2.5”
50’ 1”
49’ 2”

Span

22’
23’

4” Standard aircraft
8” With wing tip pods

Height13’
11’

1” Standard aircraft
6” Without lower ventral fin and with landing gear extended

LaunchWeightWith nose boom and XLR-11 rocket engine
With nose boom and XLR-99 rocket engine
With Q-Ball nose and XLR-11 rocket engine
With Q-Ball nose and XLR-99 rocket engine

33,500 lbs Standard aircraft

Burn Out 14,500 lbs Standard aircraft
WeightLanding
Weight13,800 lbs Standard aircraft

5

SIDE
FRONT

TOP

X-15A-2

Artwork created by Thommy Eriksson

B.

X-15A-2 DIMENSIONS
Length51’ 11” Modified 66671 aircraft

Span

22’

4” Standard aircraft

Height13’

1” Modified 66671 without lower ventral fin and with landing gear extended

LaunchWeight35,250 lbs Modified 66671 without external fuel tanks
51,600 lbs Modified 66671 with external fuel tanks
52,050 lbs Modified 66671 with external fuel tanks and ablative

Burn Out 16,200 lbs Modified 66671 without external fuel tanks
Weight16,500 lbs Modified 66671 with external fuel tanks
16,950 lbs Modified 66671 with external fuel tanks and ablative
Landing
Weight15,500 lbs Modified 66671 without external fuel tanks
15,600 lbs Modified 66671 with external fuel tanks - tanks jettisoned
16,050 lbs Modified 66671 with external fuel tanks and ablative - tanks jettisoned

External Fuel Tanks for the modified 66671 aircraft were 22’ long and 37.75” in diameter.
The Liquid Oxygen tank weighed 7,919 lbs full and the Anhydrous Ammonia tank weighed 6,074 lbs full.

6

3.

X-15 Flight Test Program
A. THE HIGH RANGE
The High Range consisted of a 400-mile-long flight corridor starting at Wendover, Utah, and stretchingsouthwest to Edwards Air Force Base California’s Mojave Desert. Along the corridor were two tracking
stations located at Ely and Beatty, Nevada. Along this track were numerous dry lake beds that were usedas launch reference points, as well as emergency landing sites if the X-15 did not have enough energy
to glide back to the primary landing site of Rogers Dry Lake at Edwards AFB.
B. POWER FOR THE X-15
The X-15 was to be powered by the XLR99-RM-1 (later YLR-99) rocket engine. This single-chamberrocket built by Reaction Motors, Inc., provided 60,000 pounds of thrust and was able to be throttled from
30% to 100% of rated thrust. Development problems caused delays in the delivery of the LR-99, so aninterim rocket engine, the XLR11-RM-13, was installed for the beginning of the flight test program. The
LR-11 was a 4-chamber rocket and was the same type used for nearly all the rocket-powered X-planes
up to that time. (An LR-11 was the rocket engine that powered the X-1 when it broke the sound barrierin 1947.) To provide enough thrust for the X-15, two LR-11 rockets were mounted one on top of the other,giving a total of eight chambers and nearly 16,000 pounds of thrust. Once the LR-99 finally made it
through research and development, it was installed in the X-15 where it proved to be reliable, with morethan enough power to push the X-15 to its design limits and beyond.
C. X-15 PROGRAM SUMMARY
On 15 October 1958, the first of three X-15s, was unveiled to the public at the North American Aviation
plant in Los Angeles, California. It was black, stubby-winged, and wedge-tailed. It was the next logicalstep in a long line of research aircraft which had methodically pushed back the edge of the unknown. At
the time of its roll-out, the altitude record was just slightly above 100,000 feet. The speed record had
touched Mach 3, but had destroyed the aircraft and killed the pilot. The X-15 had been designed tostretch this envelope significantly to Mach 6 and 250,000 feet.
One unusual aspect of the experimental rocket planes in general, and the X-15 in particular, wasthe method of launch. To conserve fuel, it was decided to carry these craft up to altitude in the bomb bayof a “mother” airplane, where they would then be launched. The X-15 was too large even for this, so thecarry point was moved from the bomb bay to a pylon slung under the wing of a specially-modified Boeing
B-52 bomber. Nestled securely between the B-52 fuselage and the first set of jet engines on the rightwing, the X-15 rode to above 40,000 feet, where it was dropped from its shackles. Immediately after drop
the pilot lit the rocket engine and the X-15 sprinted away on its mission, quickly outpacing even thefastest after-burning chase aircraft.
After launch, the pilot pulled back on the stick and headed up toward space. At burnout, the craft
plunged onward and upward on a ballistic arc, often to well above the original design limit of 250,000
feet. At this altitude, conventional control surfaces such as flaps and rudders were completely useless,so the pilot had to rely on the small rocket nozzles of the Ballistic Control System (later known as theReaction Control System) in the nose and wing-tips to keep the X-15 in the proper attitude for re-entry.
While above the atmosphere and in zero-g, many experiments could be carried out that would havebeen impossible under the blanket of air. For the last half of the program’s nine year lifetime, the X-15
served as an experiment carrier instead of solely as the aerospace research vehicle for which it had
been designed. A wide diversity of experiments were carried, including ultraviolet stellar photography,
horizon sensing and star tracking, Apollo-Saturn insulation tests, and micrometeorite collection, among
many others.
Twelve men flew the X-15, from Scott Crossfield, who had been the first man to fly twice the speedof sound in the Douglas D-558, Phase 2, Skyrocket; to Neil Armstrong, who was the first man to take a“small step” onto the lunar surface on 20 July 1969. The only US Navy pilot to fly in the program, ForrestPetersen, later went on to further his career by becoming the commanding officer of the aircraft carrier
U.S.S. Enterprise. Joe Engle earned his astronaut wings on the X-15 before commanding a different
7Enterprise, the first Space Shuttle, which he flew on several atmospheric test flights released from theback of a 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft in 1977. He finally flew into space again on the Space Shuttle
Columbia in November 1981, and also on Discovery in August 1985. Joe Walker, one of America’s best
test pilots, lost his life in the tragic crash of the North American Aviation XB-70A Valkyrie when his
Lockheed F-104 Starfighter collided with the huge triplesonic bomber in 1966. His X-15 altitude recordof 354,200 feet (67.1 miles) in August 1963 was finally exceeded in October 2004 by Brian Binnie in aflight by SpaceShipOne. A speed record of Mach 6.70 (4,520 mph) was set by Pete Knight, who later
became the mayor of Palmdale, California and went on to serve in the California State Assembly.
All test programs of this nature have problems and accidents. Some are minor bumps in the flightenvelope, while others may lead to the loss of a valuable aircraft and an irreplaceable pilot. With the rightteam in place and the proper set of circumstances, an accident that seemed catastrophic may be turned
into a true asset. This was certainly the case in the X-15 program. On 9 November 1962, John McKay
had an in-flight emergency when the rocket engine would not give the required thrust. This demanded
an immediate landing on a hard-packed dry lakebed 200 miles away from his intended goal of Edwards
AFB. A chain of malfunctions caught up with him on landing and the aircraft crashed. McKay suffered
several compressed vertebrae from the weight of the X-15 literally lying on his neck, since he jettisoned
the cockpit canopy as the aircraft rolled over. However, he was able to resume research flying only fivemonths later. Unlike the pilot, the aircraft seemed a total loss. Undaunted by the accident, a proposal
was made to rebuild and modify the aircraft to make it capable of research at even higher speed thanwhen the X-15 had first been designed. This resulted in the aircraft into the advanced X-15A-2. With theaddition of two external fuel tanks and an ablative coating to protect the Inconel-X skin of the aircraft,
the speed range of up to Mach 8 was theoretically possible, but never achieved. This configuration wasused when Pete Knight flew Mach 6.70 on 3 October, 1967. After the flight, the insulation was found toneed such extensive refurbishment that it would have taken longer to accomplish than the original
installation. This, coupled with several other factors, grounded the X-15A-2 for good.
Just three flights later, on 15 November 1967, the program suffered its only loss of life when
Michael Adams was killed during the reentry of X-15 no. 3. On this flight, his first that would havequalified him for astronaut wings, Adams became disoriented at high altitude and misread an instrumentthat could be set to register different functions. When aligning the X-15 for reentry, the aircraft ended up
pointed the wrong direction, which sent the craft into a deadly spin, where it broke apart and crashedonto the desert floor.
This left X-15 no. 1 as the sole flying hypersonic aircraft. It continued performing flight experiments
for another year before the whole program was finally brought to a close in December 1968 after 199
flights. The 200th flight was attempted but never succeeded due to technical problems in the air and, on
the very last attempt, a freak snowstorm at Edwards shut down all flight operations.
Several years later, North American Aviation changed its name to North American Rockwell, andfinally Rockwell International. They entered the competition for the design and construction of the world’s
first reusable Earth-orbiting space vehicle. They already had extensive experience with a vehicle thatroutinely flew into, and back from, space: the X-15. The old concepts were dusted off, especially thoseconcerning the advanced X-15A-2 with its jettisonable external fuel tanks. They scaled everything up
until they had their winning Space Shuttle design.
Without the basic research supplied by the X-15, the Space Shuttle would have taken longer to get
into orbit, and the cost could have been considerably higher. If not for the sidetracking into expendable
launch vehicles to play catch-up with the Soviet Union (which forced an overshadowing of the X-15 andthe cancellation of its orbital follow-on, the X-20 Dyna-Soar) we probably would have had a shuttle-typevehicle a lot sooner.
For more details on the X-15 and the men who flew this magnificent vehicle, along with thestories of many on the ground who made it all possible, please be sure to read

“The X-15 Rocket Plane: Flying the First Wings Into Space.”8

D. AIRCRAFT DISPOSITION
X-15: 66670
66671
66672
MockupsB-52:— Original aircraft is at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.
— Original aircraft is at the National Museum of the US Air Force, Dayton, OH.
— Original aircraft crashed on 15 November 1967 near Johannesburg, CA.
— Full-scale mockup of X-15 no. 2 is located at Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson,
AZ. Mockups of X-15 no. 3 are at the Armstrong Flight Research Center at Edwards
AFB, and at Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in McMinnville, OR. There iscurrently no mockup of 66670.
003 — Original aircraft is at the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, AZ.
008 — Original aircraft is at the North Gate of Edwards AFB, CA.

E. FLIGHT DESIGNATION MARKINGS
Each time the X-15 was taken aloft, the B-52 mothership that carried it had a small stencil painted on
the right forward fuselage to designate the status of the flight. These stencils can still be seen on B-52
No. 003 on display at the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, AZ. The original stencils on B-52 no.
008 have been removed and replaced with a general stencil to make room for stencils for later programs.

CAPTIVE FLIGHT

POWERED FLIGHT

GLIDE FLIGHT

IN-FLIGHT EMERGENCYF.

GENERAL INFORMATIONAll X-15 pilots experienced their first flight in X-15 no. 1.
All X-15 aircraft were launched for the first time from B-52 no. 003.
The highest number of launches in a single month was seven in August 1966.
The highest number of aborted launches in a single month was five in July 1965.
The highest number of scheduled captive flights was two in November 1964 and in February 1965.
Walker, White, and Engle never had to make an X-15 emergency landing.
McKay had the highest number of emergency landings with three.
The most emergency landings in a single year was four in 1966.
Nearly one-third of all flights were launched on a Thursday.

9

4.

Program Summary
A. AIRCRAFT FLIGHT SUMMARY (Number in parentheses refers to X-15A-2 and is included in 66671)
Aircraft
66670
66671
(66671A)
66672
Total

Launch
081
053
(022)
065

Abort
059
035
(015)
031

Captive
002
009
(008)
001

199

125

012

Airborne Launch %
142
57.0
097
54.6
(045)
(48.9)
097
67.0
336

59.2

B. ORGANIZATION FLIGHT SUMMARY
Organization Launch
NAA
014
USN
005
USAF
089
NASA
091

Abort
014
002
052
057

Captive
002
000
006
004

Airborne Launch %
030
46.7
007
71.4
147
60.5
152
59.9

C. PILOT FLIGHT SUMMARY (Number in parentheses refers to the flight sequence 001 through 199)
Pilot
A. Scott Crossfield
Joseph A. Walker
Robert M. White
Forrest S. Petersen
John B. McKay
Robert A. Rushworth
Neil A. Armstrong
Joe H. Engle
Milton O. Thompson
William J. Knight
William H. Dana
Michael J. Adams

Org. Flights First Flight
NAA
14
8 Jun. 59 (001)NASA
25 25 Mar. 60 (009)USAF
16
13 Apr. 60 (012)USN
05 23 Sep. 60 (022)NASA
29
28 Oct. 60 (024)
USAF
34
4 Nov. 60 (025)NASA
07 30 Nov. 60 (029)USAF
16
7 Oct. 63 (092)NASA
14
29 Oct. 63 (093)USAF
16 30 Sep. 65 (151)NASA
16
4 Nov. 65 (156)
USAF
07
6 Oct. 66 (173)

Last Flight
6 Dec. 60 (030)
22 Aug. 63 (091)
14 Dec. 62 (075)
10 Jan. 62 (047)
8 Sep. 66 (171)
1 Jul. 66 (159)
26 Jul. 62 (064)
14 Oct. 65 (153)
25 Aug. 65 (144)13 Sep. 68 (198)
24 Oct. 68 (199)
15 Nov. 67 (191)High Mach
2.97 (026)
5.92 (059)
6.04 (045)
5.30 (041)
5.65 (115)
6.06 (097)
5.74 (064)
5.71 (126)
5.48 (125)6.70 (188)5.53 (189)5.59 (177)High Altitude
88,116 (006)354,200 (091)314,750 (062)
101,800 (041)
295,600 (150)285,000 (087)
207,500 (051)
280,600 (138)214,100 (144)280,500 (190)
306,900 (174)266,000 (191)

D. SPEED AND ALTITUDE SUMMARY
Mach Number
0-.99
1-1.99002
014

2-2.99020

3-3.99008

Altitude (thousands of feet)
0-99.999
100-199.999
200-249.999
097
060
023
E.

4-4.99045

5-5.99106250-299.999
015

6-up
004

300-349.999
003

350-up001

B-52 FLIGHT SUMMARY (Number in parentheses refers to X-15A-2 and is included in 66671)
NB-52A Tail Number 52-003
66670
44
66671
18
(66671A)
(07)
66672
31

NB-52B Tail Number 52-008
66670
37
66671
35
(66671A)
(15)
66672
34

Total

Total

93

11

106

F. AIRCRAFT RECORDS(* signifies record for X-15 program)(** Mach number varies with altitude/air density so a higher Mach may be a lower mph)
Aircraft Status
Flight
Date
Pilot
Org.
Record66670
Fastest097
5 Dec. 63
Rushworth
USAF
Mach 6.06
Highest197
21 Aug. 68
Dana
NASA
267,500 feet198
13 Sep. 68
KnightUSAF
299.8 nautical miles
Farthest*
Longest199
24 Oct. 68
Dana
NASA
688.3 seconds
66671
Fastest*188
3 Oct. 67
KnightUSAF
Mach 6.70
Highest164
3 Aug. 66
KnightUSAF
249,000 feet
Farthest
141
3 Aug. 65
Rushworth
USAF
249.2 nautical miles
Longest037
25 May 61
WalkerNASA
728.1 seconds
66672
Fastest076
20 Dec. 62
WalkerNASA
Mach 5.73/3793 mph**
126
2 Feb. 65
Engle
USAF
Mach 5.71/3886 mph**
Highest*091
22 Aug 63
WalkerNASA
354,200 feet
Farthest*
189
4 Oct. 67
DanaNASA
299.8 nautical miles
Longest*051
20 Apr. 62
ArmstrongNASA
748.7 seconds
G. ASTRONAUT QUALIFICATION FLIGHTS (above 50 miles or 264,000 feet)
Flight
Date
Pilot
Org.
062
17 Jul. 62
White
USAF
077
17 Jan. 63
WalkerNASA
087
27 Jun. 63
Rushworth
USAF
090
19 Jul. 63
WalkerNASA
091
22 Aug. 63
WalkerNASA
138
29 Jun. 65
Engle
USAF
143
10 Aug. 65
Engle
USAF
150
28 Sep. 65
McKay
NASA
153
14 Oct. 65
Engle
USAF
174
1 Nov. 66
Dana
NASA
190
17 Oct. 67
KnightUSAF
191
15 Nov. 67
Adams
USAF
197
21 Aug. 68
Dana
NASA
Total Astronaut Qualification Flights: 13

Mach
5.45
5.47
4.89
5.50
5.58
4.94
5.20
5.33
5.08
5.46
5.53
5.20
5.01

Altitude314,750
271,700
285,000
347,800
354,200
280,600
271,000
295,600
266,500
306,900
280,500
266,000
267,500

Pilot
Flights
Walker
3
White
1
McKay
1
Rushworth 1
Engle
3
Knight
1
Dana
2
Adams
1
Organization
USAF
7
NASA
6
Tail Numbers
66670
2
66672
11

H. IN-FLIGHT EMERGENCIES
Flight
004
047
051
074
108
157
159
171
173
178
184
191
I.

Date
5 Nov. 59
10 Jan. 62
20 Apr. 62
9 Nov. 62
21 May 64
6 May 66
1 Jul. 66
8 Sep. 66
6 Oct. 66
26 Apr. 67
29 Jun. 67
15 Nov. 67

Pilot
Crossfield
Petersen
Armstrong
McKay
Thompson
McKay
Rushworth
McKay
Adams
Dana
Knight
Adams

Org.
NAA
USN
NASA
NASA
NASA
NASA
USAF
NASA
USAF
NASA
USAF
USAF

Lake
Rosamond
Mud
Rogers
Mud
CuddebackDelamarMud
Smith Ranch
CuddebackSilverMud
Randsburg

Remarks
Engine fire and explosion
Engine failed to start
Overshot altitude and landing
Engine would only go to 30% thrustEngine shutdown at 41 seconds
Engine shutdown at 35 seconds
No external fuel tank flow indication
Low fuel line pressure
Fuel tank bulkhead ruptured
Low fuel line pressure
Electrical failure
Fatal crash due to spin

LAUNCH LAKE DATA (Number of flights launched from each dry lake area)
CuddebackDelamar
Hidden Hills
Mud

01
62
50
34

Railroad
Rogers [local]
SilverSmith Ranch
12

02
26
14
10

J. B-52 PILOT DATA (in alphabetical order)
Pilot
Flights
Cap. John E “Jack” Allavie
39
Sq. Ldr. Harry M. Archer
02
Maj. Russell P. Bement
32
15
Cap./Maj. Charles C. Bock, Jr.
Maj. Jerry D. Bowline
01
Maj. Frank E. Cole01
Col. Joseph P. Cotton
15
Maj. Charles J. Doryland
11
Maj./Lt. Col. Fitzhugh “Fitz” L. Fulton, Jr. 69
Col. Gay E. Jones
03
Cap. Charles F. G. Kuyk, Jr.
03
Maj./Lt. Col. William G. Reschke, Jr.
03
Lt. Col. Emil T. “Ted” Sturmthal
05

Co-Pilot
Flights
Cap. John E. “Jack” Allavie
13
Col. Harry Andonian07
Sq. Ldr. Harry M. Archer
18
Maj. Russell P. Bement
19
Cap./Maj. Charles C. Bock, Jr.
11
Maj. Jerry D. Bowline
11
Gen. Irvine L. “Twig” Branch
01Cap. John K. Campbell
01Maj. Frank E. Cole
06
Col. Joseph P. Cotton
12
Sq. Ldr. David Cretney
01Cap. Albert H. Crews, Jr.
01
Maj. Carl S. Cross
02
Maj. Charles J. Doryland
06
Maj./Lt. Col. Fitzhugh “Fitz” L. Fulton, Jr. 25
Col. Gay E. Jones
18
Cap. Charles F. G. Kuyk, Jr.
05
Maj./Col. Kenneth K. Lewis, Jr.
16
Sq. Ldr. John Miller
04Cap. Robert L. Mosley02
Maj./Lt. Col. William G. Reschke, Jr.
11Cap. Floyd B. Stroup01
Lt. Col. Emil T. “Ted” Sturmthal
05
Col. Guy M. Townsend
03

NOTE: All B-52 pilots and co-pilots were USAF with four exceptions: Fitz Fulton retired from the USAF
and was then hired by NASA. He continued to fly the B-52 on X-15 missions after becoming a NASA
pilot. Squadron Leaders Harry Archer, David Cretney, and John Miller were Royal Air Force pilots.

K. CHASE PILOT DATA (in alphabetical order)
Pilot
Maj. Michael J. Adams
Neil A. Armstrong
Robert “Bob” Baker
Maj. Michael Collins
Cap. Albert H. Crews, Jr.
A. Scott Crossfield
Cap. Lawrence C. Curtis, Jr.
Maj./Lt. Col. Fred J. Cuthill
William H. Dana
Maj. Walter F. Daniel
Cap./Maj. Thomas J. Davey, Jr.
Einar Enevoldson
Cap. Joe H. Engle
Cap./Maj. Mervin L. Evenson
Fitzhugh “Fitz” L. Fulton, Jr.
Cap./Maj. Jerauld R. Gentry
Maj. Henry C. Gordon
Frederick W. Haise, Jr.
Cap. Peter C. Hoag
Cap. Robert C. Hover
Hugh M. Jackson
Cap./Maj. William J. “Pete” Knight

Org.
USAF
NASA
NAA
USAF
USAF
NAA
USAF
USAF
NASA
USAF
USAF
NASA
USAF
USAF
NASA
USAF
USAF
NASA
USAF
USAF
NASA
USAF
13

F-100 F-104
01
08
00
06
02
00
00
07
01
05
01
00
00
02
00
03
00
45
15
18
00
03
00
01
00
24
00
13
00
03
00
26
01
09
00
07
00
06
00
02
00
06
02
35

T-38
04
00
00
00
00
00
10
09
00
04
00
00
04
00
00
05
06
00
00
00
00
10

F-5D
00
00
00
00
00
00
00
00
00
00
00
00
00
00
00
00
00
00
00
00
00
00

F-4H Total
00
13
00
06
00
02
00
07
00
06
00
01
00
12
00
12
00
45
00
37
00
03
00
01
00
28
00
13
00
03
00
31
00
16
00
07
00
06
00
02
00
06
00
47

PilotGary E. Krier
Cap. David W. Livingston
Cap. William R. Looney
Donald L. Mallick
John A. Manke
Cap. George J. Marrett
Maj. James A. McDivitt
John B. “Jack” McKay
Maj. Robert K. Parsons
Lt. Cmdr./Cdr. Forrest S. Petersen
Bruce A. Peterson
Cap. James O. Roberts
Maj. Joseph W. Rogers
Cap./Maj./Lt. Col. Robert A. Rushworth
Cap. Wendell H. Shawler
Cap. Thomas H. Smith
Maj./Lt. Col. Donald M. SorlieCap. Joseph F. Stroface
Milton O. Thompson
Maj. William T. “Ted” Twinting
Joseph A. Walker
Cap. Robert E. Whelan
Alvin S. White
Maj. Robert M. White
Cap./Maj. James Wood
Donald T. Ward

Org.
NASA
USAF
USAF
NASA
NASA
USAF
USAF
NASA
USAF
USN
NASA
USAF
USAF
USAF
USAF
USAF
USAF
USAF
NASA
USAF
NASA
USAF
NAA
USAF
USAF
USAF

Total Sorties (by aircraft)

F-100 F-104
00
10
00
04
10
03
00
05
00
20
00
01
02
03
01
32
00
11
00
16
00
28
01
00
01
26
06
32
00
02
00
05
00
16
00
13
00
09
00
06
01
23
00
02
10
01
11
25
01
10
00
01

T-38
00
00
00
00
00
00
01
00
00
00
00
00
08
20
00
01
33
00
00
04
00
00
00
08
02
00

F-5D
00
00
00
00
03
00
00
01
00
00
01
00
00
00
00
00
00
00
00
00
01
00
00
00
05
00

F-4H Total
00
10
00
04
00
13
00
05
00
23
00
01
00
06
00
34
00
11
01
17
00
29
00
01
00
35
00
58
00
02
00
06
00
49
00
13
00
09
00
10
00
25
00
02
00
11
00
44
00
18
00
01

67

129

11

01

533

741

Summary (by aircraft)
66670
66671
(66671A)
66672

308 sorties
197 sorties(89 sorties)
236 sorties

Summary (by organization)
NAA
NASA
USN
USAF

014 sorties
203 sorties
017 sorties
507 sorties

Total Chase Sorties 741

Summary (pilots)
NAA
NASA
USN
USAF

03 pilots
13 pilots
01 pilot
32 pilots

Total Chase Pilots

48

L. LAUNCH PANEL OPERATORS (in alphabetical order)
All Launch Panel Operators were NASA personnel. They were crew members on the B-52 that oversaw
the launch of the X-15. Their station was located on the interior right side of the B-52 with a blister window
so the LPO could physically observe the X-15 prior to launch if required.
William “Bill” Berkowitz
Stanley P. Butchart
Allen F. Dustin
John W. “Jack” Moise
Bruce A. Peterson
John “Jack” Russell
14

5.

X-15 Program Patches
During my early interviews I asked each person
if there was a patch created for the X-15. No one
recalled seeing one. This led to my design of the
X-15 program patch (B). Later, two other patchessurfaced. One is from pilot Joe Engle (A), which
is a prototype that never went into production.
Ralph Richardson, who worked on the X-15
pressure suits, had a patch that he got during the
program, and still had one on a flight jacket (C).

A

A. X-15 PILOT PATCH PROTOTYPE (right)
The exact origin and designer of this patch is
unknown. The black X-15 silhouette is on topof a silver triangle which was made from thesame material as the outer layer of thepressure suit. The border of the patch is red.

B. X-15 PROGRAM PATCH (left)

B

This was designed by the author prior to the discovery
of other program patches. The black X-15 is shownbreaking through hypersonic shockwaves into a dark
blue sky with three stars to represent the three primaryparticipants in the X-15 research program: NASA, theUS Air Force, and the US Navy. The shock waves
alternate silver and red going inward, with the interior
exhaust cone being orange and the exterior wedges
being yellow. The border of the patch is gold.

C. ALTERNATE X-15 PROGRAM PATCH (right)
As with patch A, the origin of this patch is
unknown. The black X-15 is rocketing above
the blue and green Earth in a medium blue
sky with a yellow Sun and five white stars.
The border of the patch is red.

C
15

6.

X-15 Flight Log
Flight/Pilot: 1-C-1/Crossfield
Date: Tue. 10 Mar. 1959
Scheduled captive flight. SAS, B-52 power supply, and generator failures. Windshield
Remarks:
frosted.
Flight/Pilot: 1-A-2/Crossfield
Date: Wed. 1 Apr. 1959
Remarks:
Radio failed. APU-2 cutoff. Lost cooling flow to pressure suit.
Flight/Pilot: 1-A-3/Crossfield
Date: Fri. 10 Apr. 1959
Remarks:
Both APUs shut down. Upper panel of vertical stabilizer cracked. B-52 no. 003 right front
gear failed to retract, but mission was allowed to proceed.
Flight/Pilot: 1-A-4/Crossfield
Date: Thu. 21 May 1959
Remarks:
APU failed. Liquid Nitrogen source pressure too low.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-1-5/A. Scott Crossfield (1)B-52/Pilots: 003/Bock & AllavieMon. 8 Jun. 1959
Engine Run: 0.0
Takeoff:
08:00
08:38:40.0 - Rosamond Duration:
296.6
Landing:
09:10
08:43:36.6 - Rogers
Altitude:37,550 Duration: 1:10
0.79/522
Distance:
23.9
Chase:White/Wood/Roberts
001—Scheduled glide flight to check aircraft systems. Only glide flight ever scheduled for the X-15.
First free flight of program. Pitch damper failed prior to launch. PIO near landing due to inoperative
pitch damper. Shortest flight of program.

Flight/Pilot: 2-C-1/Crossfield
Date: Fri. 24 Jul. 1959
Remarks:
Scheduled full fuel captive test. Low LOX pressure. Radio failed.
Flight/Pilot: 2-A-2/Crossfield
Date: Fri. 4 Sep. 1959
Remarks:
LOX tank pressure fluctuated due to vent leakage.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:2-1-3/A. Scott Crossfield (2)B-52/Pilots: 003/Bock & Allavie
Thu. 17 Sep. 1959
Engine Run: 224.3
Takeoff:
07:31
08:08:48.0 - Rosamond Duration:
551.0
Landing:
09:01
08:17:59.0 - Rogers
Altitude:52,341 Duration: 1:30
2.11/1393
Distance:
88.4
Chase:White/Walker/White
002—First powered flight of X-15 with LR-11 engines. First flight of X-15 no. 2. First powered flightfor Crossfield. First flight past Mach 2 for program, for no. 2, and for Crossfield. Turbo pump casefailed. Roll damper failed. Flaps only extended to sixty percent.

Flight/Pilot: 2-A-4/Crossfield
Date: Sat. 10 Oct. 1959
Remarks:
LOX top-off pressurization system abort. Helium source leak. Intercom failed.
Flight/Pilot: 2-A-5/Crossfield
Date: Wed. 14 Oct. 1959
Remarks:
LOX top-off pressurization system abort. Excessive X-15 cabin pressurization. Water
Alcohol jettison valve failed.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

2-2-6/A. Scott Crossfield (3)B-52/Pilots: 003/Allavie & Bock
Sat. 17 Oct. 1959
Engine Run: 254.5
Takeoff:
09:25
10:13:07.0 - Rosamond Duration:
577.7
Landing:
10:55
10:22:44.7 - Rogers
Altitude:61,781 Duration: 1:30
2.15/1419
Distance:
92.4
Chase:White/Walker/White
003—Roll damper failed at launch but was reengaged. Nose gear door failed on landing. Minor firein hydrogen peroxide compartment, engine compartment, and lower ventral at landing.
17

Flight/Pilot: 2-A-7/Crossfield
Date: Thu. 22 Oct. 1959
Remarks:
Pilot’s oxygen system failed. Windshield frosted over.
Flight/Pilot: 2-A-8/Crossfield
Remarks:
Weather abort.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:Date: Sat. 31 Oct. 1959

2-3-9/A. Scott Crossfield (4)B-52/Pilots: 003/Fulton & Allavie
Thu. 5 Nov. 1959
Engine Run: 13.9
Takeoff:
09:00
09:39:28.0 - Rosamond Duration:
328.0
Landing:
10:15
09:44:56.0 - Rosamond Altitude:
45,462 Duration: 1:15
1.00/660
Distance:
34.5
Chase:
Baker/White/Walker
004—Roll damper dropped out at launch. Engine fire and explosion in bottom LR-11. Structural
failure at instrument bay, just forward of LOX tank, and nose gear failed on landing due to design
flaw and excessive propellant weight. First in-flight emergency after launch. First landing at
location other than Rogers. Shortest flight for X-15 no. 2. Aircraft returned to NAA for modificationsof fuselage and nose gear.

Flight/Pilot: 1-A-6/Crossfield
Date: Wed. 16 Dec. 1959
Remarks:
Low LOX tank pressure. Radio failed.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-2-7/A. Scott Crossfield (5)B-52/Pilots: 008/Fulton & Kuyk
Sat. 23 Jan. 1960
Engine Run: 267.2
Takeoff:
15:43
16:17:05.0 - Rosamond Duration:
593.8
Landing:
17:00
16:26:58.8 - Rogers
Altitude:66,844 Duration: 1:17
2.53/1669
Distance:
108.2
Chase:
Baker/Walker/White
005—Telemetry problems caused late takeoff. First powered flight and first past Mach 2 for X-15
no. 1. First use of B-52 no. 008 for an X-15 launch.

Flight/Pilot: 2-A-10/Crossfield
Date: Thu. 4 Feb. 1960
Remarks:
Lost source pressure and fuel tank pressure. APU-2 failed.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

2-4-11/A. Scott Crossfield (6)B-52/Pilots: 008/Allavie & Fulton
Thu. 11 Feb. 1960
Engine Run: 251.2
Takeoff:
09:07
10:15:04.0 - Rosamond Duration:
615.5
Landing:
10:57
10:25:19.5 - Rogers
Altitude:88,116
Duration: 1:50
2.22/1466
Distance:
114.4
Chase:White/Walker/White
006—Farthest flight and highest altitude attained by Crossfield in program. First use of B-52
no.008 for X-15 no. 2. First flight of this aircraft following structural failure on landing andsubsequent rebuild (004). Nose gear bottomed out on landing.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

2-5-12/A. Scott Crossfield (7)B-52/Pilots: 008/Fulton & Allavie
Wed. 17 Feb. 1960
Engine Run: 309.4
Takeoff:
08:54
09:41:32.0 - Rosamond Duration:
635.9
Landing:
10:09
09:52:07.9 - Rogers
Altitude:52,640 Duration: 1:15
1.57/1036
Distance:
97.3
Chase:White/Walker/White
007—Upper LR-11 engine shut down prematurely, but was able to be re-ignited.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

2-6-13/A. Scott Crossfield (8)B-52/Pilots: 008/Allavie & Kuyk
Thu. 17 Mar. 1960
Engine Run: 233.5
Takeoff:
07:54
08:31:25.0 - Rosamond Duration:
519.5
Landing:
08:54
08:40:04.5 - Rogers
Altitude:52,640 Duration: 1:00
2.15/1419
Distance:
87.5
Chase:White/White/Walker
008—Maneuverability investigation with dampers on and off. Did a 360-degree roll and a 6-g turn.

Flight/Pilot: 2-A-14/Crossfield
Date: Fri. 18 Mar. 1960
Remarks:
Fuel leaked and windshield delaminated. Aborted one minute to launch.

18

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-3-8/Joseph A. Walker (1)B-52/Pilots: 008/Allavie & Fulton
Fri. 25 Mar. 1960
Engine Run: 272.0
Takeoff:
14:42
15:43:23.0 - Rosamond Duration:
548.0
Landing:
16:12
15:52:31.0 - Rogers
Altitude:48,630 Duration: 1:30
2.00/1320
Distance:
92.8
Chase:
Crossfield/White/McKay
009—First flight for NASA and Walker in program. Walker’s briefest flight. Roll damper and stable
platform malfunctioned. Upper engine required two re-starts. Roll damper inoperable.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

2-7-15/A. Scott Crossfield (9)B-52/Pilots: 008/Fulton & Allavie
Tue. 29 Mar. 1960
Engine Run: 244.2
Takeoff:
08:14
09:59:28.0 - Rosamond Duration:
550.5
Landing:
10:24
10:08:38.5 - Rogers
Altitude:49,982 Duration: 2:10
1.96/1293
Distance:
92.1
Chase:White/Knight/Rushworth
010—Cold soak flight to simulate environmental conditions for a flight launched from Wendover, UT.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

2-8-16/A. Scott Crossfield (10)B-52/Pilots: 008/Allavie & Fulton
Thu. 31 Mar. 1960
Engine Run: 254.5
Takeoff:
08:00
08:42:05.0 - Rosamond Duration:
536.5
Landing:
09:15
08:51:01.5 - Rogers
Altitude:51,356 Duration: 1:15
2.03/1340
Distance:
92.2
Chase:White/Rushworth/Knight
011—Nominal flight to check SAS gains and perform aircraft maneuverability checkout.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-4-9/Robert M. White (1)B-52/Pilots: 003/Allavie & Kuyk
Wed. 13 Apr. 1960
Engine Run: 253.7
Takeoff:
08:26
09:15:11.0 - Rosamond Duration:
532.7
Landing:
09:46
09:24:03.7 - Rogers
Altitude:48,000 Duration: 1:20
1.90/1254
Distance:
93.1
Chase:White/Walker/Rushworth
012—First flight for the US Air Force and White in program. White’s shortest flight. Hydraulic hose
failed. No landing data because of a film drum malfunction.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-5-10/Joseph A. Walker (2)B-52/Pilots: 003/Fulton & Allavie
Tue. 19 Apr. 1960
Engine Run: 260.6
Takeoff:
07:59
08:51:44.0 - Rosamond Duration:
598.6
Landing:
09:29
09:01:42.6 - Rogers
Altitude:59,496 Duration: 1:30
2.56/1689
Distance:
107.2
Chase:
Rushworth/McKay/Knight
013—Hydraulic hose failed. No gear data taken. Performance build-up flight. One B-52 engine
required shut down prior to X-15 launch. Walker discovered the rudder could be used after
touchdown to steer on the lakebed.

Flight/Pilot: 2-A-17/Crossfield
Date: Thu. 5 May 1960
Remarks:
APU-1 shut down. Hydrogen peroxide failed to jettison.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-6-11/Robert M. White (2)B-52/Pilots: 003/Fulton & AllavieFri. 6 May 1960
Engine Run: 246.5
Takeoff:
09:04
09:53:19.0 - Rosamond Duration:
563.2
Landing:
10:15
10:02:42.2 - Rogers
Altitude:60,938 Duration: 1:09
2.20/1452
Distance:
105.9
Chase:
Knight/McKay/Rushworth
014—Roll damper failed at launch, but was reset. Normal ventral jettison system failed. Ventral
jettisoned by back-up system when gear was released. First flight for White past Mach 2 inprogram.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-7-12/Joseph A. Walker (3)B-52/Pilots: 003/Bock & Allavie
Thu. 12 May 1960
Engine Run: 256.3
Takeoff:
08:10
08:47:37.0 - Silver
Duration:
610.3
Landing:
09:40
08:57:47.3 - Rogers
Altitude:77,882 Duration: 1:30
3.19/2111
Distance:
127.9
Chase:White/Rushworth/Knight/McKay
015—Stable platform inoperative. Three engine chambers intentionally shut down and theremaining five chambers shut down on their own at the same time. First flight launched away fromlocal area. First flight in program above 2,000 mph and above Mach 3. First flight of any manned
aircraft past Mach 3 without pilot loss. First flight for Walker above Mach 3.
19

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-8-13/Robert M. White (3)B-52/Pilots: 003/Allavie & Bock
Thu. 19 May 1960
Engine Run: 274.7
Takeoff:
08:05
08:46:47.0 - Silver
Duration:
684.6
Landing:
09:20
08:58:11.6 - Rogers
Altitude:108,997 Duration: 1:15
2.31/1590
Distance:
138.8
Chase:
Knight/Rushworth/McKay
016—Altitude build-up flight. First flight for White and the X-15 above 100,000 feet.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

2-9-18/A. Scott Crossfield (11)B-52/Pilots: 008/Bock & Allavie
Thu. 26 May 1960
Engine Run: 243.4
Takeoff:
08:07
09:08:36.0 - Rosamond Duration:
554.4
Landing:
09:30
09:17:50.4 - Rogers
Altitude:51,282 Duration: 1:23
2.20/1452
Distance:
94.4
Chase:White/White/Petersen
017—First BCS checkout. Suit/helmet pressures telemetered. Control system vibrated after
landing.

Flight/Pilot: 1-A-14/Walker
Date: Fri. 27 May 1960
Remarks:
Telemetry and power supply failure.
Flight/Pilot: 1-A-15/Walker
Date: Fri. 3 Jun. 1960
Remarks:
Lost hydraulic pressure to APUs.
Flight/Pilot: 1-A-16/Walker
Date: Wed. 8 Jun. 1960
Remarks:
Nitrogen gas leaked. Insufficient propulsion system source pressure. Same day as LR-99
ground test explosion in No. 3.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-9-17/Joseph A. Walker (4)B-52/Pilots: 003/Allavie & Fulton
Thu. 4 Aug. 1960
Engine Run: 264.2
Takeoff:
08:14
08:59:13.0 - Silver
Duration:
622.6
Landing:
09:40
09:09:35.6 - Rogers
Altitude:78,112
Duration: 1:26
3.31/2196
Distance:
135.5
Chase:White/Rushworth/Petersen/Knight
018—Stability and control flight. Aerodynamic heating build-up flight. Canopy seal burned.

Flight/Pilot: 1-A-18/White
Date: Thu. 11 Aug. 1960
Remarks:
Nitrogen fuel pressure leak. Scheduled altitude record attempt.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-10-19/Robert M. White (4)B-52/Pilots: 003/Fulton & AllavieFri. 12 Aug. 1960
Engine Run: 256.2
Takeoff:
08:00
08:48:43.0 - Silver
Duration:
699.1
Landing:
09:15
09:00:22.1 - Rogers
Altitude:136,500 Duration: 1:15
2.52/1772
Distance:
137.1
Chase:
Rushworth/Petersen/Looney
019—Maximum altitude attempt with LR-11s. Succeeded with a new altitude record. Highest
altitude attained using the LR-11. White’s longest flight.

Flight/Pilot: 1-A-20/Walker
Date: Thu. 18 Aug. 1960
Remarks:
APU-1 failed to start. Scheduled high temperature test.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-11-21/Joseph A. Walker (5)B-52/Pilots: 003/Allavie & ColeFri. 19 Aug. 1960
Engine Run: 251.6
Takeoff:
07:50
08:34:22.0 - Silver
Duration:
582.4
Landing:
09:20
08:44:04.4 - Rogers
Altitude:75,982 Duration: 1:30
3.13/1986
Distance:
129.0
Chase:White/Rushworth/Petersen/Looney020—Aerodynamic heat build-up. Held Mach 3 for thirteen seconds. Achieved aircraft skintemperatures of nearly 500 degrees F.

Flight/Pilot: 1-A-22/White
Date: Fri. 2 Sep. 1960
Remarks:
Telemetry failure. Scheduled stability flight.

20

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-12-23/Robert M. White (5)B-52/Pilots: 008/Kuyk & AllavieSat. 10 Sep. 1960
Engine Run: 264.3
Takeoff:
11:05
11:45:10.0 - Silver
Duration:
600.0
Landing:
12:25
11:55:10.0 - Rogers
Altitude:79,864 Duration: 1:20
3.23/2182
Distance:
138.1
Chase:
Looney/Armstrong/Rushworth/Knight
021—Aircraft stability and control evaluated. First flight past Mach 3 for White. APU malfunction.

Flight/Pilot: 1-A-24/Petersen
Date: Tue. 20 Sep. 1960
Remarks:
First launch attempt for Petersen. APU-2 failed to start.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-13-25/Forrest S. Petersen (1)B-52/Pilots: 008/Allavie & Fulton
Fri. 23 Sep. 1960
Engine Run: 146.6
Takeoff:
09:10
09:52:06.0 - Rosamond Duration:
429.6
Landing:
10:20
09:59:15.6 - Rogers
Altitude:53,043 Duration: 1:10
1.68/1108
Distance:
62.4
Chase:
Looney/Walker/Rushworth
022—First flight for US Navy and Petersen in program. Premature shutdown of all chambers ofboth LR-11 engines. Two unsuccessful restart attempts.

Flight/Pilot: 1-A-26/Petersen
Date: Tue. 11 Oct. 1960
Remarks:
Hydrogen peroxide source pressure regulator runaway.
Flight/Pilot: 2-A-19/Crossfield
Date: Thu. 13 Oct. 1960
Remarks:
APU-2 system leaked. First attempted flight with LR-99 rocket engine.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-14-27/Forrest S. Petersen (2)B-52/Pilots: 008/Fulton & Kuyk
Thu. 20 Oct. 1960
Engine Run: 285.4
Takeoff:
09:00
09:30:27.0 - Rosamond Duration:
566.1
Landing:
10:00
09:39:53.1 - Rogers
Altitude:53,800 Duration: 1:00
1.94/1280
Distance:
99.6
Chase:White/Rushworth/Armstrong
023—Stability and control evaluation. B-52 to X-15 umbilical pulled out during taxi which prevented
hard-wired communications between aircraft. All communications accomplished via radio.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-15-28/John B. McKay (1)B-52/Pilots: 008/Fulton & ColeFri. 28 Oct. 1960
Engine Run: 267.5
Takeoff:
09:05
09:43:56.0 - Rosamond Duration:
545.3
Landing:
10:20
09:53:01.3 - Rogers
Altitude:50,700 Duration: 1:15
2.02/1333
Distance:
96.8
Chase:
Looney/White/Petersen
024—First flight for McKay in program. Ventral parachute did not open.

Flight:Remarks:

2-A-20/Crossfield
Date: Fri. 4 Nov. 1960
APU-2 malfunctioned. Hydrogen peroxide leak.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-16-29/Robert A. Rushworth (1)B-52/Pilots: 008/Fulton & ColeFri. 4 Nov. 1960
Engine Run: 271.0
Takeoff:
12:10
12:43:33.0 - Rosamond Duration:
526.3
Landing:
13:15
12:52:19.3 - Rogers
Altitude:48,900 Duration: 1:05
1.95/1287
Distance:
101.2
Chase:
Looney/White/Armstrong
025—First flight for Rushworth in program. First time two flights attempted on same day withdifferent X-15 aircraft, but flight 2-A-20 did not launch (see above).

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

2-10-21/A. Scott Crossfield (12)B-52/Pilots: 003/Allavie & Kuyk
Tue. 15 Nov. 1960
Engine Run: 137.3
Takeoff:
08:58
09:59:00.0 - Rosamond Duration:
508.4
Landing:
10:28
10:07:28.4 - Rogers
Altitude:81,200 Duration: 1:30
2.97/1960
Distance:
93.7
Chase:White/Walker/White
026—First launch with LR-99 rocket engine. Highest Mach for Crossfield in program. Hydraulic leak.

21

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-17-30/Robert A. Rushworth (2)B-52/Pilots: 003/Fulton & Allavie
Thu. 17 Nov. 1960
Engine Run: 261.9
Takeoff:
12:10
12:43:07.0 - Palmdale
Duration:
538.2
Landing:
13:10
12:52:05.2 - Rogers
Altitude:54,750 Duration: 1:00
1.90/1254
Distance:
97.8
Chase:
Looney/Walker/Knight
027—Lower LR-11 shut down prematurely. Restart accomplished successfully. APU-2 start was
sluggish. Launch occurred over Palmdale, not over a lakebed as was normal practice. This is oneof only two flights in the program where this type of launch occurred (031).

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

2-11-22/A. Scott Crossfield (13)B-52/Pilots: 003/Allavie & Fulton
Tue. 22 Nov. 1960
Engine Run: 125.1
Takeoff:
12:45
13:25:55.0 - Rosamond Duration:
451.7
Landing:
13:45
13:33:26.7 - Rogers
Altitude:61,900 Duration: 1:00
2.51/1656
Distance:
85.0
Chase:White/Walker/White
028—First restart attempt for LR-99 in-flight. Restart perfect. No. 2 BCS nose-down rocket leaked.
Flew with LR-99 throttle settings at 50, 75, and 100 percent with no problems.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-18-31/Neil A. Armstrong (1)B-52/Pilots: 008/Cole & Fulton
Wed. 30 Nov. 1960
Engine Run: 309.1
Takeoff:
10:10
10:42:43.0 - Rosamond Duration:
593.8
Landing:
11:10
10:52:36.8 - Rogers
Altitude:48,840 Duration: 1:00
1.75/1155
Distance:
102.0
Chase:
Looney/Petersen/Walker
029—First and shortest flight for Armstrong in program. No. 3 chamber on upper LR-11 engine
failed to light.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

2-12-23/A. Scott Crossfield (14)B-52/Pilots: 003/Allavie & ColeTue. 6 Dec. 1960
Engine Run: 128.9
Takeoff:
14:45
15:29:30.0 - Rosamond Duration:
487.2
Landing:
16:00
15:37:37.2 - Rogers
Altitude:53,374 Duration: 1:15
2.85/1881
Distance:
85.2
Chase:White/Petersen/White
030—Crossfield’s final flight. LR-99 shut down on first restart attempt. Two restarts attempted.
North American Aviation contractor flight testing phase of X-15 program completed.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-19-32/Neil A. Armstrong (2)B-52/Pilots: 008/Allavie & ColeFri. 9 Dec. 1960
Engine Run: 270.1
Takeoff:
11:21
11:52:40.0 - Palmdale
Duration:
649.0
Landing:
12:20
12:03:29.0 - Rogers
Altitude:50,095 Duration: 1:00
1.80/1188
Distance:
108.2
Chase:
Daniel/Petersen/White
031—First flight with Q-ball Flight Path Control Sensor system installed in place of nose boom.

Flight/Pilot: 1-A-33/McKay
Date: Thu. 15 Dec. 1960
Remarks:
No. 2 hydraulic system pressure failure. Aborted 30 seconds to launch.
Flight/Pilot: 1-A-34/McKay
Date: Wed. 11 Jan. 1961
Remarks:
No. 2 hydraulic system pressure abort.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-20-35/John B. McKay (2)B-52/Pilots: 008/Fulton & Lewis
Wed. 1 Feb. 1961
Engine Run: 263.7
Takeoff:
10:13
10:47:32.0 - Rosamond Duration:
647.7
Landing:
11:28
10:58:19.7 - Rogers
Altitude:49,780 Duration: 1:15
1.88/1211
Distance:
98.3
Chase:White/Petersen/Wood
032—Last launch from the local Edwards area. Checkout of pilot’s side-arm controller.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-21-36/Robert M. White (6)B-52/Pilots: 008/Fulton & Mosley
Tue. 7 Feb. 1961
Engine Run: 276.1
Takeoff:
12:10
12:56:10.0 - Silver
Duration:
627.8
Landing:
13:30
13:06:37.8 - Rogers
Altitude:78,150 Duration: 1:20
3.50/2275
Distance:
139.3
Chase:
Daniel/Knight/Petersen/Rushworth
033—Last flight and highest speed with LR-11. X-15 no. 1 returned to NAA for installation of LR-99
engine on 8 February. X-15 no. 2 formally delivered to NASA on the same date.
22

Date: Tue. 21 Feb. 1961
Flight/Pilot: 2-A-24/White
Remarks:
Inoperative inertial system. No cabin pressurization.
Flight/Pilot: 2-A-25/White
Date: Fri. 24 Feb. 1961
Remarks:
Attitude gyro malfunctioned.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

2-13-26/Robert M. White (7)B-52/Pilots: 008/Kuyk & ColeTue. 7 Mar. 1961
Engine Run: 127.0
Takeoff:
09:50
10:28:33.0 - Silver
Duration:
514.1
Landing:
10:55
10:37:07.1 - Rogers
Altitude:77,450 Duration: 1:05
4.43/2905
Distance:
150.5
Chase:
Rushworth/Walker/Petersen/Looney
034—First flight for US Air Force and White with LR-99. First flight for any aircraft above Mach 4.
First flight for White in X-15 no. 2. Permanent buckles found on fuselage skin. First flight of Q-ballon X-15 no. 2. First and only time that an F-4H was used as a chase aircraft (Petersen).

Flight/Pilot: 2-A-27/Walker
Date: Tue. 21 Mar. 1961
Pilot:
Remarks:
Lost electrical power from B-52. Drag chute from B-52 lost on landing. Wheels locked,
blowing a tire. First time an A/P 22S-2 pressure suit was worn by an X-15 pilot.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

2-14-28/Joseph A. Walker (6)B-52/Pilots: 008/Kuyk & Fulton
Thu. 30 Mar. 1961
Engine Run: 81.9
Takeoff:
09:20
10:05:00.0 - Hidden Hills Duration:
616.5
Landing:
10:25
10:15:16.5 - Rogers
Altitude:169,600 Duration: 1:05
3.95/2760
Distance:
180.5
Chase:White/Knight/Petersen/Rushworth
035—First flight for NASA and Walker with LR-99. Highest altitude to date. Walker weightless fortwo minutes. First flight for Walker above 100,000 feet and in X-15 no. 2. Required LR-99 restart.
First use of the T-38 chase aircraft in the X-15 program (Knight).

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

2-15-29/Robert M. White (8)B-52/Pilots: 003/Allavie & Mosley
Fri. 21 Apr. 1961
Engine Run: 71.6
Takeoff:
09:10
10:05:17.0 - Hidden Hills Duration:
603.4
Landing:
10:40
10:15:20.4 - Rogers
Altitude:105,000 Duration: 1:30
4.62/3074
Distance:
169.3
Chase:
Looney/Walker/Rogers/Wood
036—First flight over 3,000 mph. White dropped 8,000 feet before engine start. Required LR-99
restart. Cabin pressure fell to 46,000 feet. Pitch damper dropped out at engine shutdown.

Flight/Pilot: 2-A-30/Walker
Date: Fri. 19 May 1961
Remarks:
Lacked APU source pressure. Radar beacon from Beatty failed. Cabin pressurizationdifficulties. Launch scrubbed at launch minus two seconds.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

2-16-31/Joseph A. Walker (7)B-52/Pilots: 003/Allavie & Fulton
Thu. 25 May 1961
Engine Run: 74.3
Takeoff:
11:30
12:16:35.0 - Mud
Duration:
728.1
Landing:
13:00
12:28:43.1 - Rogers
Altitude:107,500 Duration: 1:30
4.95/3307
Distance:
228.5
Chase:
Looney/Daniel/Petersen/Rushworth
037—First launch from Mud Dry Lake. First flight for Walker past Mach 4. Longest flight to date atmore than 12 minutes. SAS dropout at launch but able to reengage. Cabin pressure fell to 50,000
feet. On this day, President John F. Kennedy committed America to land a man on the Moon.

Flight/Pilot: 2-A-32/White
Date: Tue. 20 Jun. 1961
Remarks:
Chase pilot thought LOX spillage was hydrogen peroxide coming from APU drain.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

2-17-33/Robert M. White (9)B-52/Pilots: 003/Allavie & Fulton
Fri. 23 Jun. 1961
Engine Run: 78.7
Takeoff:
13:09
14:00:05.0 - Mud
Duration:
605.7
Landing:
14:45
14:10:10.7 - Rogers
Altitude:107,700 Duration: 1:36
5.27/3603
Distance:
230.3
Chase:
Looney/Daniel/Crews/Walker
038—First flight of any aircraft past Mach 5. Heat effects noted on wings. Cabin pressure fell to
56,000 feet which inflated the pilot’s pressure suit.
23

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:1-22-37/Forrest S. Petersen (3)B-52/Pilots: 003/Allavie & Archer
Thu. 10 Aug. 1961
Engine Run: 117.7
Takeoff:
09:42
10:27:05.0 - Silver
Duration:
564.4
Landing:
10:52
10:36:29.4 - Rogers
Altitude:78,200 Duration: 1:10
4.11/2735
Distance:
122.8
Chase:White/Rushworth/Walker
039 —Longest flight for Petersen and his first flight past Mach 4. First flight for X-15 no. 1 with LR99 and first past Mach 4. Lost cabin pressure and suit overinflated. At launch Petersen grabbed
speed brake handle instead of engine throttle.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

2-18-34/Joseph A. Walker (8)B-52/Pilots: 008/Archer & Allavie
Tue. 12 Sep. 1961
Engine Run: 115.0
Takeoff:
13:44
14:40:17.0 - Mud
Duration:
523.9
Landing:
15:10
14:49:00.9 - Rogers
Altitude:114,300 Duration: 1:26
5.21/3618
Distance:
210.3
Chase:White/Petersen/Daniel/Rushworth
040—First flight for Walker past Mach 5. Fuel pressure loss at launch. Engine throttled back to 50
percent, then up to 75 percent. Leak in cabin pressure.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

2-19-35/Forrest S. Petersen (4)B-52/Pilots: 008/Allavie & Archer
Thu. 28 Sep. 1961
Engine Run: 87.1
Takeoff:
09:00
09:50:25.0 - Hidden Hills Duration:
521.6
Landing:
10:30
09:59:06.6 - Rogers
Altitude:101,800 Duration: 1:30
5.30/3600
Distance:
158.5
Chase:
Daniel/McKay/Rogers
041—Petersen’s farthest flight. Achieved 1,000 degree F. First flight by Petersen past Mach 5.
Highest altitude attained by Petersen. First flight for Petersen in X-15 no. 2. Only pilot to attainhighest speed and altitude on same flight.

Flight/Pilot: 1-A-38/Rushworth
Date: Fri. 29 Sep. 1961
Remarks:
SAS roll mode pulsating. Scheduled as stability and control flight with lower ventral removed.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:1-23-39/Robert A. Rushworth (3)B-52/Pilots: 003/Allavie & Archer
Wed. 4 Oct. 1961
Engine Run: 122.0
Takeoff:
10:00
10:40:50.0 - Silver
Duration:
511.3
Landing:
11:10
10:49:21.3 - Rogers
Altitude:78,000 Duration: 1:10
4.30/2830
Distance:
135.6
Chase:
Daniel/McKay/White
042—First flight flown with lower ventral removed as stability and control test of configuration. First
flight for Rushworth with LR-99 and first past Mach 4.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

2-20-36/Robert M. White (10)B-52/Pilots: 003/Allavie & Fulton
Wed. 11 Oct. 1961
Engine Run: 82.5
Takeoff:
11:20
12:20:00.0 - Mud
Duration:
614.7
Landing:
13:00
12:30:14.7 - Rogers
Altitude:217,000 Duration: 1:40
5.21/3647
Distance:
237.1
Chase:
Daniel/McKay/Wood/Rushworth
043—First flight of a manned aircraft above 200,000 feet. Studied BCS system and reentry
characteristics. White had two minutes of 0-g and maximum of 4-g on reentry. Outer panel of left
windshield shattered during reentry at approximately 70,000 feet.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:1-24-40/Joseph A. Walker (9)B-52/Pilots: 003/Allavie & Archer
Tue. 17 Oct. 1961
Engine Run: 84.6
Takeoff:
10:00
10:57:33.0 - Mud
Duration:
611.7
Landing:
12:30
11:07:44.7 - Rogers
Altitude:108,600 Duration: 2:30
5.74/3900
Distance:
201.1
Chase:White/McKay/Daniel/Knight
044—Pressure and air friction research accomplished at high speeds without use of the SAS.
Achieved 1,100 degrees F. First flight for X-15 no. 1 past Mach 5. McKay’s chase plane developed
trouble and he had to replace it at the last minute.

Flight/Pilot: 1-A-41/White
Date: Fri. 27 Oct. 1961
Remarks:
Overcast at Mud lake launch area. Scheduled maximum speed run and evaluation ofhandling characteristics without using the SAS.
24

Flight/Pilot: 1-A-42/White
Date: Thu. 2 Nov. 1961
Remarks:
Cabin pressurization failure.
Flight/Pilot: 1-A-43/White
Date: Fri. 3 Nov. 1961
Remarks:
Engine igniter malfunctioned. Aborted ten seconds to launch.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

2-21-37/Robert M. White (11)B-52/Pilots: 008/Allavie & Archer
Thu. 9 Nov. 1961
Engine Run: 86.9
Takeoff:
09:00
09:57:17.0 - Mud
Duration:
571.2
Landing:
10:30
10:06:48.2 - Rogers
Altitude:101,600 Duration: 1:30
6.04/4093
Distance:
211.7
Chase:
Rushworth/Walker/Gordon/Daniel
045—First flight of a manned aircraft above Mach 6 and 4,000 mph. Highest Mach attained by
White in program. Outer panel of right windshield shattered at Mach 2.7.

Flight/Pilot: 3-A-1/Armstrong
Date: Tue. 19 Dec. 1961
Remarks:
First time X-15 no. 3 taken aloft. Q-ball malfunctioned. Scheduled to check out MH-96 system.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

3-1-2/Neil A. Armstrong (3)B-52/Pilots: 003/Allavie & Bement
Wed. 20 Dec. 1961
Engine Run: 106.3
Takeoff:
14:05
14:45:50.0 - Silver
Duration:
625.4
Landing:
15:10
14:56:15.4 - Rogers
Altitude:81,000 Duration: 1:05
3.76/2502
Distance:
150.9
Chase:
Daniel/Petersen/Rushworth
046—First flight for X-15 no. 3. First flight for Armstrong with LR-99 and his first flight past Mach 3.
All three axes on the MH-96 system disengaged at launch but reengaged after engine light. Yawlimit cycle at fixed gain during boost phase.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-25-44/Forrest S. Petersen (5)B-52/Pilots: 003/Allavie & Bement
Wed. 10 Jan. 1962
Engine Run: 3.3
Takeoff:
11:30
12:28:16.0 - Mud
Duration:
225.7
Landing:
13:20
12:32:01.7 - Mud
Altitude:44,750 Duration: 1:50
0.97/645
Distance:
32.0
Chase:
Daniel/Walker/McDivitt/Rushworth
047—Petersen’s shortest flight. Scheduled for high angle of attack stability and control tests, andaerodynamic heating. Last flight in program for US Navy and Petersen. First flight to land outside
local Edwards AFB area. Two attempts to light engine failed. Main chamber pressure switch failed.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:3-2-3/Neil A. Armstrong (4)B-52/Pilots: 003/Allavie & Bement
Wed. 17 Jan. 1962
Engine Run: 97.4
Takeoff:
11:05
12:00:34.0 - Mud
Duration:
627.7
Landing:
12:34
12:11:01.7 - Rogers
Altitude:133,500 Duration: 1:29
5.51/3765
Distance:
223.5
Chase:
Gordon/Petersen/McDivitt/Rushworth
048—First flight for Armstrong past Mach 5 and above 100,000 feet. First flight for X-15 no. 3 past
Mach 5. More than two months elapsed before next flight attempt due to poor weather conditions.

Flight/Pilot: 3-A-4/Armstrong
Date: Thu. 29 Mar. 1962
Remarks:
Stable platform heat exchanger iced up. Faulty fire detector caused fire warning light.
Flight/Pilot: 3-A-5/Armstrong
Date: Fri. 30 Mar. 1962
Remarks:
Engine cooling gas circuit breaker did not close. Launch canceled at zero seconds.
Flight/Pilot: 3-A-6/Armstrong
Date: Sat. 31 Mar. 1962
Remarks:
MH-96 analyzer test failure.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

3-3-7/Neil A. Armstrong (5)B-52/Pilots: 003/Allavie & Fulton
Thu. 5 Apr. 1962
Engine Run: 79.2
Takeoff:
09:23
10:04:25.0 - Hidden Hills Duration:
677.0
Landing:
10:27
10:15:42.0 - Rogers
Altitude:180,000 Duration: 1:04
4.12/2850
Distance:
181.7
Chase:
Daniel/McKay/Rushworth
049—Engine would not ignite on the first attempt. Second attempt successful. Q-Ball systemtested at low and high dynamic pressures.
25Date: Wed. 18 Apr. 1962
Flight/Pilot: 1-A-45/Walker
Remarks:
Cloud cover over Mud launch area.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-26-46/Joseph A. Walker (10)B-52/Pilots: 003/Allavie & Archer
Thu. 19 Apr. 1962
Engine Run: 84.3
Takeoff:
08:58
10:02:20.0 - Mud
Duration:
538.9
Landing:
10:37
10:11:18.9 - Rogers
Altitude:154,000 Duration: 1:39
5.69/3866Distance:
218.5
Chase:
Dana/Rushworth/Daniel/Knight
050—No landing data. McKay was supposed to be on chase but had to abort.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

3-4-8/Neil A. Armstrong (6)B-52/Pilots: 008/Allavie & BementFri. 20 Apr. 1962
Engine Run: 82.4
Takeoff:
10:34
11:26:58.0 - Mud
Duration:
748.7
Landing:
12:58
11:39:26.7 - Rogers
Altitude:207,500 Duration: 2:24
5.31/3789
Distance:
286.6
Chase:White/McKay/Gordon/Rushworth
051—During reentry Armstrong maintained g-limit which caused the aircraft to bounce back up outof the atmosphere. The X-15 went approximately 45 miles south of Edwards before turning around.
First flight by Armstrong above 200,000 feet. Armstrong’s highest altitude attained and farthest flight.
Longest duration flight in program at 12.4 minutes. First flight of X-15 no. 3 from B-52 no. 008.

Flight/Pilot: 2-A-38/White
Date: Wed. 25 Apr. 1962
Remarks:
Chuck Yeager on board B-52 as copilot. Aborted due to cloud cover at launch lake.
Flight/Pilot: 2-A-39/White
Date: Thu. 26 Apr. 1962
Remarks:
Engine igniter malfunctioned.
Flight/Pilot: 1-A-47/Walker
Date: Fri. 27 Apr. 1962
Remarks:
Cloud cover over launch lake.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-27-48/Joseph A. Walker (11)B-52/Pilots: 008/Allavie & Bement
Mon. 30 Apr. 1962
Engine Run: 81.6
Takeoff:
09:32
10:23:20.0 - Mud
Duration:
586.2
Landing:
10:51
10:33:06.2 - Rogers
Altitude:246,700 Duration: 1:21
4.94/3489
Distance:
231.6
Chase:
Daniel/White/Dana/Rushworth
052—First flight for Walker above 200,000 feet. Flight specifically designed to beat Soviet altitude
record. This new altitude record was certified by the FAI.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:2-22-40/Robert A. Rushworth (4)B-52/Pilots: 008/Allavie & Bement
Tue. 8 May 1962
Engine Run: 97.9
Takeoff:
09:07
10:01:28.0 - Hidden Hills Duration:
530.5
Landing:
10:37
10:10:18.5 - Rogers
Altitude:70,400 Duration: 1:30
5.34/3524
Distance:
143.5
Chase:
Daniel/McKay/Rogers
053—First flight for Rushworth in X-15 no. 2 and first past Mach 5. First flight with LR-99 at 30 percent
thrust. B-52 engine no. 4 out. Aerodynamic heating reached 1,250 degrees F on speed brakes.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-28-49/Robert A. Rushworth (5)B-52/Pilots: 003/Allavie & Campbell
Tue. 22 May 1962
Engine Run: 75.3
Takeoff:
09:22
10:04:46.0 - Hidden Hills Duration:
556.2
Landing:
10:25
10:14:02.2 - Rogers
Altitude:100,400 Duration: 1:03
5.03/3450
Distance:
143.0
Chase:
Daniel/Dana/Rogers
054—First flight for Rushworth above 100,000 feet. Boundary layer flow study. Premature engine
shutdown. Left roll out of trim.

Flight/Pilot: 2-A-41/White
Date: Fri. 25 May 1962
Remarks:
Stable platform overheated. Scheduled to test alternate SAS and high angle-of-attack.
Flight/Pilot: 2-A-42/White
Date: Tue. 29 May 1962
Remarks:
B-52 stable platform did not function.
26

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

2-23-43/Robert M. White (12)B-52/Pilots: 008/Fulton & BementFri. 1 Jun. 1962
Engine Run: 86.0
Takeoff:
09:59
10:51:15.0 - Delamar
Duration:
601.9
Landing:
11:28
11:01:16.9 - Rogers
Altitude:132,600 Duration: 1:29
5.42/3675
Distance:
224.5
Chase:
Daniel/Dana/Rogers/Collins
055—First launch from Delamar Dry Lake. Engine vibration noted at 30 percent thrust. 100th timean X-15 was taken aloft, but only 55th time a successful launch occurred.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:1-29-50/Joseph A. Walker (12)B-52/Pilots: 003/Allavie & Bement
Thu. 7 Jun. 1962
Engine Run: 81.5
Takeoff:
09:45
10:29:20.0 - Hidden Hills Duration:
504.2
Landing:
10:53
10:37:44.2 - Rogers
Altitude:103,600 Duration: 1:08
5.39/3672
Distance:
168.6
Chase:
Daniel/McKay/White
056—Studied air flow over surfaces. Engine vibration noted during boost. Near 90 degree rightturn was made over Daggett, California, to test maneuverability of spacecraft returning from orbit.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

3-5-9/Robert M. White (13)B-52/Pilots: 008/Allavie & Fulton
Tue. 12 Jun. 1962
Engine Run: 81.9
Takeoff:
10:56
12:04:00.0 - Delamar
Duration:
575.4
Landing:
12:40
12:13:35.4 - Rogers
Altitude:184,600 Duration: 1:44
5.02/3517
Distance:
249.0
Chase:
McDivitt/McKay/Collins/Gordon
057—First flight for White in X-15 no. 3. Scheduled flight for pilot checkout and to evaluate BCS
system.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

3-6-10/Robert M. White (14)B-52/Pilots: 008/Allavie & Lewis
Thu. 21 Jun. 1962
Engine Run: 82.3
Takeoff:
09:01
09:47:05.0 - Delamar
Duration:
573.6
Landing:
10:22
09:56:38.6 - Rogers
Altitude:246,700 Duration: 1:21
5.08/3641
Distance:
246.5
Chase:
McKay/Armstrong/Collins/Daniel
058—Contractual demonstration of the MH-96 system. APU-1 shutdown during captive portion offlight, but was successfully restarted prior to launch.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:1-30-51/Joseph A. Walker (13)B-52/Pilots: 003/Allavie & Townsend
Wed. 27 Jun. 1962
Engine Run: 88.6
Takeoff:
12:13
13:08:10.0 - Mud
Duration:
572.4
Landing:
13:38
13:17:42.4 - Rogers
Altitude:123,700 Duration: 1:25
5.92/4104
Distance:
223.2
Chase:
Rushworth/McKay/Knight/Daniel
059—Unofficial world absolute speed record to date. Highest speed attained by Walker in program.
Ventral parachute lost during flight and pitch damper went inoperative during a pull-up maneuver.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:2-24-44/John B. McKay (3)B-52/Pilots: 008/Allavie & Archer
Fri. 29 Jun. 1962
Engine Run: 112.4
Takeoff:
09:57
10:41:47.0 - Hidden Hills Duration:
533.4
Landing:
11:05
10:50:40.4 - Rogers
Altitude:83,200 Duration: 1:08
4.95/3280
Distance:
167.0
Chase:
Rushworth/Armstrong/Daniel
060—First flight for McKay past Mach 4, and first with LR-99. First flight for McKay in X-15 no. 2.
Evaluated heating rates at low angle-of-attack and low Mach number.

Flight/Pilot: 3-A-11/White
Date: Tue. 10 Jul. 1962
Remarks:
Could not retract left aft landing gear on B-52 no. 003.
Flight/Pilot: 3-A-12/White
Date: Wed. 11 Jul. 1962
Remarks:
APU-1 pressure regulator ruptured causing hydrogen peroxide jettison.
Flight/Pilot: 3-A-13/White
Date: Mon. 16 Jul. 1962
Remarks:
Umbilical connecting X-15 to B-52 pylon came loose because the lanyard was too short.

27

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:1-31-52/Joseph A. Walker (14)B-52/Pilots: 008/Allavie & Archer
Mon. 16 Jul. 1962
Engine Run: 83.9
Takeoff:
13:23
14:09:25.0 - Mud
Duration:
577.8
Landing:
14:40
14:19:02.8 - Rogers
Altitude:107,200 Duration: 1:17
5.37/3674
Distance:
227.8
Chase:
Daniel/Dana/Engle/Rushworth
061—Second time two launches attempted on the same day. First flight with new X-15 instrument
panel arrangement where the aircraft and simulator were to be set up in an identical configuration.
Checkout of SAS. Ventral parachute failed. Last use of the F-100 chase plane for X-15 no. 1(Daniel). Canopy was difficult to open after landing due to a latch pin that was the wrong size.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

3-7-14/Robert M. White (15)B-52/Pilots: 003/Allavie & Archer
Tue. 17 Jul. 1962
Engine Run: 82.0
Takeoff:
08:46
09:31:10.0 - Delamar
Duration:
620.7
Landing:
10:03
09:41:30.7 - Rogers
Altitude:314,750 Duration: 1:17
5.45/3832
Distance:
268.3
Chase:
McDivitt/McKay/Dana/Thompson
062—Rain forced change from Smith Ranch to Delamar. Set FAI World Absolute Altitude Record.
First manned aircraft flight above 300,000 feet. Farthest flight and highest altitude for White. First
flight in X-15 program above 50 miles. First pilot to achieve astronaut rating in a non-ballistic
vehicle. Last use of the F-100 chase aircraft for X-15 no. 3 (McDivitt).

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

2-25-45/John B. McKay (4)B-52/Pilots: 008/Fulton & Bement
Thu. 19 Jul. 1962
Engine Run: 106.2
Takeoff:
09:11
09:53:45.0 - Hidden Hills Duration:
503.8
Landing:
10:20
10:02:08.8 - Rogers
Altitude:85,250 Duration: 1:09
5.18/3474
Distance:
161.2
Chase:
Rogers/Dana/Rushworth
063—Evaluated heating rates at low angle of attack and high Mach number. First flight for McKay
past Mach 5. Ventral parachute failed. Last use of the F-100 chase aircraft during program (Rogers).

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:1-32-53/Neil A. Armstrong (7)B-52/Pilots: 003/Fulton & Bement
Thu. 26 Jul. 1962
Engine Run: 82.8
Takeoff:
10:34
11:22:30.0 - Mud
Duration:
621.4
Landing:
11:57
11:32:51.4 - Rogers
Altitude:98,900 Duration: 1:23
5.74/3989
Distance:
214.8
Chase:
Rushworth/Collins/Daniel/White
064—Highest Mach attained by Armstrong and final flight in program. Evaluated aerodynamic
stability and drag handling. Smoke in cockpit. Lost lower vertical door in flight. Hydraulic system
leaked. After flight, X-15 no. 1 was returned to NAA for installation of cameras and modifications
required for turbulence studies. First use of the T-38 chase aircraft with X-15 no. 1 (Rushworth).

Flight/Pilot: 3-A-15/Walker
Date: Wed. 1 Aug. 1962
Remarks:
Fuel tank pressurization failed. Flight scheduled to investigate yawing noticed by White on
flight 062.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

3-8-16/Joseph A. Walker (15)B-52/Pilots: 003/Fulton & Bement
Thu. 2 Aug. 1962
Engine Run: 80.0
Takeoff:
09:05
09:56:15.0 - Mud
Duration:
554.0
Landing:
10:31
10:05:29.0 - Rogers
Altitude:144,500 Duration: 1:26
5.07/3438
Distance:
223.5
Chase:
Daniel/McKay/Collins/Rushworth
065—First flight by Walker in X-15 no. 3. Evaluated modification to fixed gain of MH-96 system in
relation to yaw problem noted previously. System checked out okay. First use of the T-38 chaseaircraft with X-15 no. 3 (Daniel).

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

2-26-46/Robert A. Rushworth (6)B-52/Pilots: 008/Fulton & Sturmthal
Wed. 8 Aug. 1962
Engine Run: 95.8
Takeoff:
09:15
10:08:35.0 - Hidden Hills Duration:
462.8
Landing:
10:33
10:16:17.8 - Rogers
Altitude:90,877 Duration: 1:16
4.40/2943
Distance:
143.9
Chase:
McDivitt/McKay/Engle/Collins
066—Evaluated aerodynamic heating at moderate velocity and low altitude.
28

Date: Fri. 10 Aug. 1962
Flight/Pilot: 3-A-17/Walker
Remarks:
Broken wire on BCS controls. Scheduled to test new re-entry technique.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

3-9-18/Joseph A. Walker (16)B-52/Pilots: 003/Fulton & Crews
Tue. 14 Aug. 1962
Engine Run: 84.2
Takeoff:
09:45
10:41:35.0 - Delamar
Duration:
544.9
Landing:
11:16
10:50:39.9 - Rogers
Altitude:193,600 Duration: 1:31
5.25/3747
Distance:
231.7
Chase:
Rushworth/Dana/Engle/White
067—Lower than anticipated altitude and speed caused by various difficulties (scheduled for
220,000 feet). MH-96 roll mode inoperative. Some instability about all three axes. Low engine fuelpressure. Last flight with ventral for X-15 no. 3.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

2-27-47/Robert A. Rushworth (7)B-52/Pilots: 008/Fulton & Andonian
Mon. 20 Aug. 1962
Engine Run: 86.5
Takeoff:
09:20
10:08:40.0 - Hidden Hills Duration:
518.2
Landing:
10:34
10:17:18.2 - Rogers
Altitude:88,900 Duration: 1:14
5.24/3534
Distance:
154.2
Chase:
Gordon/McKay/Engle/Daniel
068—Evaluated aerodynamic heating rates at high speed and moderate angle-of-attack.
Electrocardiogram successfully telemetered for first time. SAS tripped out and required alternate
SAS. Minor detonation in engine.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:2-28-48/Robert A. Rushworth (8)B-52/Pilots: 008/Fulton & Bement
Wed. 29 Aug. 1962
Engine Run: 92.0
Takeoff:
09:50
10:36:03.0 - Hidden Hills Duration:
527.1
Landing:
11:00
10:44:50.1 - Rogers
Altitude:97,200 Duration: 1:10
5.12/3447
Distance:
160.6
Chase:White/Walker/McDivitt/Knight
069—Evaluated aerodynamic heating at high angle-of-attack and high Mach. Intermittent SAS roll.
Speed brake vibrations noticed. Last flight for X-15 no. 2 with lower ventral until flight 155.

Flight/Pilot: 2-A-49/McKay
Date: Thu. 27 Sep. 1962
Remarks:
McKay accidentally tripped ejection seat handles and could not re-stow them. Scheduled
to evaluate stability without lower ventral.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:2-29-50/John B. McKay (5)B-52/Pilots: 008/Bement & Sturmthal
Fri. 28 Sep. 1962
Engine Run: 128.2
Takeoff:
09:17
10:04:55.0 - Hidden Hills Duration:
567.5
Landing:
10:34
10:14:22.5 - Rogers
Altitude:68,200 Duration: 1:17
4.22/2765
Distance:
144.2
Chase:White/Walker/Engle/Rushworth
070—All subsequent X-15 flights are flown with no lower ventral until flight 155, where it was
reinstalled for testing on the X-15 no. 2 using external fuel tanks. Longest LR-99 burn time to date.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

3-10-19/Robert A. Rushworth (9)B-52/Pilots: 008/Fulton & Lewis
Thu. 4 Oct. 1962
Engine Run: 103.2
Takeoff:
09:26
10:10:11.0 - Delamar
Duration:
590.5
Landing:
10:53
10:20:01.5 - Rogers
Altitude:112,200 Duration: 1:27
5.17/3493
Distance:
229.6
Chase:
Rogers/Walker/Collins/Gordon
071—First flight for Rushworth in X-15 no. 3. APU-1 shut down five minutes after launch.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:2-30-51/John B. McKay (6)B-52/Pilots: 003/Fulton & Lewis
Tue. 9 Oct. 1962
Engine Run: 79.5
Takeoff:
10:10
10:58:32.0 - Delamar
Duration:
580.3
Landing:
11:40
11:08:12.3 - Rogers
Altitude:130,200 Duration: 1:30
5.46/3716
Distance:
235.3
Chase:White/Dana/Rushworth/Rogers
072—First flight in program for McKay above 100,000 feet. Second stage engine igniter exploded,
causing 79 second restriction on burn time for several missions until correction was found.

29

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

3-11-20/Robert A. Rushworth (10)B-52/Pilots: 008/Bement & Cross
Tue. 23 Oct. 1962
Engine Run: 78.0
Takeoff:
10:31
11:30:40.0 - Mud
Duration:
586.3
Landing:
12:28
11:40:26.3 - Rogers
Altitude:134,500 Duration: 1:57
5.47/3764
Distance:
235.3
Chase:
Rogers/Dana/Thompson/Knight
073—Popped circuit breaker in X-15 forced B-52 to initiate launch. APU exploded.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:2-31-52/John B. McKay (7)B-52/Pilots: 008/Bement & Lewis
Fri. 9 Nov. 1962
Engine Run: 70.5
Takeoff:
09:29
10:23:07.0 - Mud
Duration:
391.0
Landing:
11:45
10:29:38.0 - Mud
Altitude:53,950 Duration: 2:16
1.49/1019
Distance:
45.4
Chase:White/Walker/Evenson/Daniel
074—Engine only produced 30 percent thrust due to a failed governor valve, causing fuelstarvation. Higher than normal landing speed caused by inability to extend flaps put excessive
loads on landing gear, causing left skid to fail at touchdown. Left wing and stabilizer dug in,causing the aircraft to roll over. McKay jettisoned the canopy prior to rollover. Aircraft required
extensive refurbishment which included lengthened landing gear, extended fuselage, and externalfuel tanks to extend range and speed. After rebuild this aircraft will be designated X-15A-2. McKay
suffered crushed vertebrae but was later able to return to flight status. McKay’s shortest flight.

Flight/Pilot: 3-A-21/White
Date: Thu. 13 Dec. 1962
Remarks:
Lost liquid nitrogen pressure. Low pressure relief valve failure. Checkout ultraviolet
photometer.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

3-12-22/Robert M. White (16)B-52/Pilots: 008/Bement & Cross
Fri. 14 Dec. 1962
Engine Run: 77.7
Takeoff:
09:47
10:44:07.0 - Mud
Duration:
577.1
Landing:
12:00
10:53:44.1 - Rogers
Altitude:141,400 Duration: 2:13
5.65/3742
Distance:
227.5
Chase:
Rogers/Dana/Evenson/Knight
075—Final flight for White in program. Flown at 22 degree angle-of-attack. Ultraviolet photometer
experiment flown but did not function during the flight.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

3-13-23/Joseph A. Walker (17)B-52/Pilots: 008/Bement & Fulton
Thu. 20 Dec. 1962
Engine Run: 81.0
Takeoff:
10:30
11:25:04.0 - Mud
Duration:
534.3
Landing:
11:55
11:33:58.3 - Rogers
Altitude:160,400 Duration: 1:25
5.73/3793
Distance:
226.6
Chase:
Rushworth/White/Daniel/Gordon
076—Investigated control system limits at high dynamic pressure.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

3-14-24/Joseph A. Walker (18)B-52/Pilots: 008/Bement & Archer
Thu. 17 Jan. 1963
Engine Run: 81.2
Takeoff:
10:07
10:59:16.0 - Delamar
Duration:
583.9
Landing:
12:08
11:08:59.9 - Rogers
Altitude:271,700 Duration: 2:01
5.47/3677
Distance:
246.2
Chase:White/Dana/Gordon/Daniel
077—First astronaut qualification flight for Walker. Infrared experiment flown. APU-1 failed four
minutes after launch. Hydraulic pressure loss caused shutdown of the Q-ball system and rudder
servo about two minutes prior to landing. Altitude buildup with ventral removed.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:1-33-54/Robert A. Rushworth (11)B-52/Pilots: 008/Bement & Archer
Thu. 11 Apr. 1963
Engine Run: 120.5
Takeoff:
09:21
10:02:47.1 - Hidden Hills Duration:
536.7
Landing:
10:40
10:11:43.8 - Rogers
Altitude:74,400 Duration: 1:19
4.25/2864
Distance:
150.8
Chase:
Rogers/McKay/Crews
078—Checkout of APU repair which consisted of pressurizing the APU compartment. Opticaldegradation experiment (KC-1 camera) mounted under fuselage to study photographic degradation
caused by shock waves and hypersonic air flow. SAS roll disengaged at launch but was reset.

30

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:3-15-25/Joseph A. Walker (19)B-52/Pilots: 008/Fulton & Archer
Thu. 18 Apr. 1963
Engine Run: 79.0
Takeoff:
11:37
12:16:17.6 - Hidden Hills Duration:
433.2
Landing:
13:10
12:23:30.8 - Rogers
Altitude:92,500 Duration: 1:33
5.51/3770
Distance:
147.5
Chase:White/Dana/Sorlie/Rogers
079—First test of new Q meter to measure dynamic pressure. Nose gear scoop door opened at
Mach 3.4 and 55,000 feet. Skids spread to 125 inches at landing.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-34-55/John B. McKay (8)B-52/Pilots: 008/Bement & Fulton
Thu. 25 Apr. 1963
Engine Run: 86.3
Takeoff:
13:14
14:03:38.3 - Delamar
Duration:
632.3
Landing:
14:45
14:14:10.6 - Rogers
Altitude:105,500 Duration: 1:31
5.32/3654
Distance:
234.0
Chase:White/Thompson/Wood/Knight
080—First launch from Delamar for X-15 no. 1. KC-1 camera tested. Winds at 30 mph with 50
percent cloud cover hindered flight. McKay’s first flight following rollover accident on flight 074.
SAS roll disengaged at launch. Alternate SAS engaged.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

3-16-26/Joseph A. Walker (20)B-52/Pilots: 008/Bement & Archer
Thu. 2 May 1963
Engine Run: 79.2
Takeoff:
09:08
09:59:54.0 - Mud
Duration:
557.2
Landing:
10:40
10:09:11.2 - Rogers
Altitude:209,400 Duration: 1:32
4.73/3488
Distance:
216.3
Chase:White/Dana/Rogers/Knight
081—Check-out of APU at high altitude after modifications to pressurize the housing. Infrared andultraviolet experiments conducted. Nose gear door was replaced and main gear (rear skid) oleoschanged following the incident on flight 079.

Flight/Pilot: 3-A-27/Rushworth
Date: Fri. 10 May 1963
Remarks:
Hydraulic line ruptured on no. 1 system.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

3-17-28/Robert A. Rushworth (12)B-52/Pilots: 008/Bement & Archer
Tue. 14 May 1963
Engine Run: 86.9
Takeoff:
11:30
12:11:56.0 - Hidden Hills Duration:
453.1
Landing:
12:40
12:19:29.1 - Rogers
Altitude:95,600 Duration: 1:09
5.20/3600
Distance:
149.2
Chase:
Sorlie/Dana/Daniel
082—LR-99 did not light on first attempt due to vibration. Restart required. Evaluated heat transfer
rates of skin and conducted ultraviolet experiment. Made a 50 degree right bank turn at flight midpoint.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:1-35-56/John B. McKay (9)B-52/Pilots: 003/Bement & Archer
Wed. 15 May 1963
Engine Run: 84.1
Takeoff:
09:57
10:50:46.0 - Delamar
Duration:
620.5
Landing:
11:28
11:01:06.5 - Rogers
Altitude:124,200 Duration: 1:31
5.57/3856
Distance:
242.9
Chase:
Rushworth/Dana/Evenson/Daniel
083—First use of traversing probe which extended every four seconds to take measurements of
air flow. Lost gear box pressure five minutes after launch. Nose gear scoop door opened at Mach5.2. Both tires disintegrated after touchdown. Fire in nose gear compartment. Buckles in forward
fuselage.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:3-18-29/Joseph A. Walker (21)B-52/Pilots: 008/Bement & Fulton
Wed. 29 May 1963
Engine Run: 84.3
Takeoff:
09:53
10:43:22.0 - Delamar
Duration:
702.5
Landing:
11:22
10:55:04.5 - Rogers
Altitude:92,000 Duration: 1:29
5.52/3858
Distance:
232.9
Chase:White/Dana/Knight/Rogers
084—Evaluated heat transfer rates. Inner panel on left windshield shattered approximately atengine burn out. The loss of the windshield was attributed to the bolts holding it in place being too
long.
31

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

3-19-30/Robert A. Rushworth (13)B-52/Pilots: 008/Bement & Archer
Tue. 18 Jun. 1963
Engine Run: 79.3
Takeoff:
09:42
10:34:21.0 - Delamar
Duration:
580.3
Landing:
11:40
10:44:01.3 - Rogers
Altitude:223,700 Duration: 1:58
4.97/3539
Distance:
235.0
Chase:
Gordon/Dana/Ward/Rogers
085—First flight by Rushworth above 200,000 feet. Altitude build-up flight. Ultraviolet experiment.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-36-57/Joseph A. Walker (22)B-52/Pilots: 003/Bement & Archer
Tue. 25 Jun. 1963
Engine Run: 92.8
Takeoff:
09:06
09:53:50.0 - Delamar
Duration:
599.3
Landing:
10:30
10:03:49.3 - Rogers
Altitude:111,800 Duration: 1:24
5.51/3911
Distance:
248.4
Chase:
Daniel/McKay/Wood/Rogers
086—Evaluated heat build-up. Traversing probe and optical degradation experiments. Left forward
fuselage faring cracked at buckle noted on flight 083.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

3-20-31/Robert A. Rushworth (14)B-52/Pilots: 008/Bement & Archer
Thu. 27 Jun. 1963
Engine Run: 80.1
Takeoff:
09:07
09:56:03.0 - Delamar
Duration:
628.0
Landing:
10:33
10:06:31.0 - Rogers
Altitude:285,000 Duration: 1:26
4.89/3425
Distance:
236.6
Chase:
Daniel/McKay/Wood/Rogers
087—Highest altitude attained by Rushworth in program. First flight by Rushworth above 50 miles
altitude. Becomes third X-15 pilot to achieve astronaut qualification.

Flight/Pilot: 1-A-58/Walker
Date: Wed. 3 Jul. 1963
Remarks:
X-15 could not be received on the radio.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-37-59/Joseph A. Walker (23)B-52/Pilots: 008/Archer & Bement
Tue. 9 Jul. 1963
Engine Run: 83.6
Takeoff:
11:17
12:12:12.0 - Delamar
Duration:
537.7
Landing:
12:49
12:21:09.7 - Rogers
Altitude:226,400 Duration: 1:32
5.07/3631
Distance:
240.8
Chase:
Daniel/McKay/Rogers/Wood
088—Evaluated optical degradation. A cork sheet ablation material was tested on the lower rightspeed brake. Traversing probe became inoperative after engine burnout because of an overloaded
fuse.

Flight/Pilot: 1-A-60/Rushworth
Date: Wed. 17 Jul. 1963
Remarks:
Pilot’s oxygen quick disconnect from B-52 uncoupled during takeoff. The flight was aborted
and had to quickly return to Edwards since Rushworth had a limited internal oxygen
supply.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:1-38-61/Robert A. Rushworth (15)B-52/Pilots: 003/Fulton & Bock
Thu. 18 Jul. 1963
Engine Run: 85.2
Takeoff:
09:17
10:07:20.0 - Mud
Duration:
563.9
Landing:
10:42
10:16:43.9 - Rogers
Altitude:104,800 Duration: 1:25
5.63/3925
Distance:
214.8
Chase:
Rogers/Dana/Evenson/Gordon
089—Ablative test articles installed on both lower speed brakes, the left upper speed brake, andthe leading edge of the lower fixed ventral. Flight was performed without automatic systems.
Engine was shut down manually, and a malfunction was found in the second stage igniter.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:3-21-32/Joseph A. Walker (24)B-52/Pilots: 008/Fulton & BementFri. 19 Jul. 1963
Engine Run: 84.6
Takeoff:
09:19
10:20:05.0 - Smith Ranch Duration:
684.1
Landing:
11:04
10:31:29.1 - Rogers
Altitude:347,800 Duration: 1:45
5.50/3710
Distance:
288.5
Chase:
Crews/Dana/Rogers/Daniel/Wood
090—First flight in program by Walker above 300,000 feet. First launch from Smith Ranch Dry
Lake. Towed balloon experiment tested, which was developed for the Mercury-Atlas 9 mission thatflew on 15 May 1963. The experiment failed on both X-15 and Mercury.
32Date: Tue. 6 Aug. 1963
Flight/Pilot: 3-A-33/Walker
Remarks:
Weather cancellation and an overheated computer.
Flight/Pilot: 3-A-34/Walker
Date: Tue. 13 Aug. 1963
APU-1 would not run after start. Stayed operational about four seconds, then shut down.
Remarks:
Date: Thu. 15 Aug. 1963
Flight/Pilot: 3-A-35/Walker
Remarks:
Weather canceled the flight. After abort, APU-1 had the same start-up problems as
encountered in previous aborted flight. APU controller was adversely affected by low
temperatures.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:3-22-36/Joseph A. Walker (25)B-52/Pilots: 003/Bement & Lewis
Thu. 22 Aug. 1963
Engine Run: 85.8
Takeoff:
09:09
10:05:57.0 - Smith Ranch Duration:
668.6
Landing:
10:56
10:17:05.6 - Rogers
Altitude:354,200 Duration: 1:47
5.58/3794
Distance:
293.4
Chase:
Wood/Dana/Gordon/Rogers
091—Unofficial altitude record set. Highest altitude achieved by Walker and by the X-15 (67.1
miles). Last flight by Walker in program. X-15 no. 1 left BCS nozzle froze up. First flight withaltitude predictor instrument. Towed balloon experiment. Weather delayed flights for six weeks.

Flight/Pilot: 1-A-62/Engle
Date: Fri. 4 Oct. 1963
Remarks:
First attempted launch by Engle. Radio communication lost between X-15 and B-52.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-39-63/Joe H. Engle (1)B-52/Pilots: 008/Bement & Jones
Mon. 7 Oct. 1963
Engine Run: 118.9
Takeoff:
11:22
12:22:56.0 - Hidden Hills Duration:
457.8
Landing:
13:00
12:30:33.8 - Rogers
Altitude:77,800 Duration: 1:38
4.21/2834
Distance:
138.5
Chase:
Sorlie/Thompson/Rogers
092—First and shortest flight by Engle in program. First flight with KS-25 (Phase 2 opticaldegradation instrument). Ablative tested on speed brakes. Abort originally called for bad angle-ofattack indicator. Indicator started working and the flight went ahead, but the indicator became
inoperative immediately after launch. An unauthorized 360-degree roll performed by Engle during
glide back to Edwards.

Flight/Pilot: 3-A-37/Rushworth
Date: Mon. 14 Oct. 1963
Remarks:
Upper vertical leading edge modified to razor edge. Inertial system platform malfunctioned.
Flight/Pilot: 3-A-38/Rushworth
Date: Fri. 25 Oct. 1963
Remarks:
Inertial system platform malfunctioned. A flight attempt the day before was canceled prior
to takeoff when a cracked right windshield was found on the B-52.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:1-40-64/Milton O. Thompson (1)B-52/Pilots: 008/Fulton & Jones
Tue. 29 Oct. 1963
Engine Run: 126.1
Takeoff:
11:59
12:42:34.0 - Hidden Hills Duration:
523.0
Landing:
13:09
12:51:17.0 - Rogers
Altitude:74,400 Duration: 1:10
4.10/2712
Distance:
144.2
Chase:
Sorlie/Walker/Rushworth
093—First flight for Thompson and first past Mach 4. Previous ablative test material was removed
and replaced with a new Emerson Electric ablative material which was tested on the lower rightspeed brake. Optical degradation tests performed.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:3-23-39/Robert A. Rushworth (16)B-52/Pilots: 008/Bement & JonesThu. 7 Nov. 1963
Engine Run: 107.2
Takeoff:
09:24
10:11:14.0 - Hidden Hills Duration:
531.7
Landing:
10:41
10:20:05.7 - Rogers
Altitude:82,300 Duration: 1:17
4.40/2925
Distance:
145.8
Chase:
Gordon/Thompson/Sorlie
094—First flight with razor sharp leading edge on upper vertical stabilizer. Evaluated heat transfer
and damper-off stability. Main gear spread too much on landing creating a turn to the left.
Discovered the main gear oleo was not serviced properly prior to the flight.
33

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-41-65/Joe H. Engle (2)B-52/Pilots: 008/Bement & JonesThu. 14 Nov. 1963
Engine Run: 84.6
Takeoff:
10:36
11:19:21.0 - Hidden Hills Duration:
466.5
Landing:
11:55
11:27:07.5 - Rogers
Altitude:90,800 Duration: 1:19
4.75/3286
Distance:
146.5
Chase:
Rushworth/Dana/Rogers
095—Optical degradation experiment. All ablative test materials removed from aircraft.

Flight/Pilot: 3-A-40/Thompson
Date: Tue. 19 Nov. 1963
Remarks:
Weather closed in over the launch area. President Kennedy assassinated four days later.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:3-24-41/Milton O. Thompson (2)B-52/Pilots: 008/Fulton & Lewis
Wed. 27 Nov. 1963
Engine Run: 89.0
Takeoff:
11:34
12:17:40.0 - Hidden Hills Duration:
424.3
Landing:
12:59
12:24:44.3 - Rogers
Altitude:89,800 Duration: 1:25
4.94/3310
Distance:
145.9
Chase:
Rushworth/Dana/Sorlie
096—Takeoff was delayed when an O-ring on X-15 pilot’s seat was damaged when entering the
cockpit. Pilot input caused left roll at launch. Inertial system failed at launch.

Flight/Pilot: 1-A-66/Rushworth
Date: Tue. 3 Dec. 1963
Remarks:
X-15 radio malfunctioned.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-42-67/Robert A. Rushworth (17)B-52/Pilots: 008/Bement & JonesThu. 5 Dec. 1963
Engine Run: 81.2
Takeoff:
10:11
11:04:36.0 - Delamar
Duration:
574.0
Landing:
11:39
11:14:10.0 - Rogers
Altitude:101,000 Duration: 1:28
6.06/4018
Distance:
233.7
Chase:
Wood/Sorlie/Dana/Engle
097—First flight by Rushworth above Mach 6 in program. Highest Mach attained by Rushworth.
First flight above Mach 6 for X-15 no. 1. Highest Mach achieved for the standard X-15 aircraft(Higher Mach attained with modified aircraft X-15A-2). Inner pane of right windshield cracked.

Flight/Pilot: 1-A-68/Rushworth
Date: Wed. 18 Dec. 1963
Remarks:
Camera system was incorrectly wired, which caused an abort.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:1-43-69/Joe H. Engle (3)B-52/Pilots: 008/Fulton & Lewis
Wed. 8 Jan. 1964
Engine Run: 76.6
Takeoff:
11:15
12:10:31.0 - Mud
Duration:
530.7
Landing:
12:44
12:19:21.7 - Rogers
Altitude:139,900 Duration: 1:29
5.32/3616
Distance:
219.3
Chase:
Rushworth/Dana/Wood/Sorlie
098—First flight past Mach 5 and above 100,000 feet for Engle in program. Evaluated high angleof-attack stability without SAS. Inertial platform malfunctioned at peak altitude.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:3-25-42/Milton O. Thompson (3)B-52/Pilots: 008/Fulton & Lewis
Thu. 16 Jan. 1964
Engine Run: 84.2
Takeoff:
09:20
10:03:30.0 - Hidden Hills Duration:
497.0
Landing:
10:30
10:11:47.0 - Rogers
Altitude:71,000 Duration: 1:10
4.92/3242
Distance:
145.8
Chase:
Gordon/Peterson/Crews
099—Heat transfer experiment with upper vertical razor leading edge. Evaluated stability anddamper-off controllability. Speed brakes difficult to open during period of highest heat. Skids coatedwith cermet.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-44-70/Robert A. Rushworth (18)B-52/Pilots: 008/Bement & BranchTue. 28 Jan. 1964
Engine Run: 77.2
Takeoff:
11:14
12:11:36.0 - Delamar
Duration:
625.5
Landing:
12:55
12:22:01.5 - Rogers
Altitude:107,400 Duration: 1:39
5.34/3618
Distance:
238.7
Chase:Engle/Dana/Crews/Wood
100—100th launch of the X-15 since the first flight on 8 Jun. 59. Edwards commander, General
Branch, aboard B-52 as co-pilot. Evaluated stability and control using the upper speed brakes only
in preparation for redesigned lower ventral to be used in scramjet program. SAS roll failed repeatedly.
34

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:3-26-43/Milton O. Thompson (4)B-52/Pilots: 003/Fulton & Jones
Wed. 19 Feb. 1964
Engine Run: 83.3
Takeoff:
09:16
09:57:24.0 - Hidden Hills Duration:
423.1
Landing:
10:55
10:04:27.1 - Rogers
Altitude:78,600 Duration: 1:39
5.29/3519
Distance:
151.0
Chase:
Rushworth/Peterson/Dana
101—First flight past Mach 5 for Thompson in program. Razor edge experiment and boundary
layer noise experiment. Premature engine burnout due to a LOX line not being covered.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

3-27-44/John B. McKay (10)B-52/Pilots: 003/Bement & Lewis
Fri. 13 Mar. 1964
Engine Run: 105.2
Takeoff:
09:01
09:46:27.0 - Hidden Hills Duration:
449.0
Landing:
10:13
09:53:56.0 - Rogers
Altitude:76,000 Duration: 1:12
5.11/3392
Distance:
151.5
Chase:
Rogers/Peterson/Engle
102—First flight for McKay in X-15 no. 3. Experiments with heat transfer, skin friction, andboundary layer noise. An on-board data recorder failed due to a switch being in the wrong position.

Flight/Pilot: 1-A-71/Rushworth
Date: Tue. 17 Mar. 1964
Remarks:
Computer malfunctioned.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-45-72/Robert A. Rushworth (19)Fri. 27 Mar. 1964
Engine Run: 85.0
10:10:18.0 - Delamar
Duration:
592.4
10:20:10.4 - Rogers
Altitude:101,500
5.63/3827
Distance:
228.7
103—Induced-turbulence experiment tested.

B-52/Pilots: 003/Bement & Lewis
Takeoff:
09:16
Landing:
11:30
Duration: 2:14
Chase:
Gordon/Peterson/Adams/Engle

Flight/Pilot: 3-A-45/McKay
Date: Tue. 31 Mar. 1964
Remarks:
Inertial guidance system failure.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:1-46-73/Joe H. Engle (4)B-52/Pilots: 003/Bement & Fulton
Wed. 8 Apr. 1964
Engine Run: 79.9
Takeoff:
09:10
10:02:27.0 - Delamar
Duration:
585.7
Landing:
10:38
10:12:12.7 - Rogers
Altitude:175,000 Duration: 1:28
5.01/3468
Distance:
227.2
Chase:
Gordon/Thompson/Crews/Rogers
104—Phase II optical degradation experiment tested. A small fire occurred in APU-2 due tooverheating. A peroxide leak was suspected as the cause but never located in post-flight groundtesting.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:1-47-74/Robert A. Rushworth (20)B-52/Pilots: 003/Fulton & Bock
Wed. 29 Apr. 1964
Engine Run: 82.3
Takeoff:
09:09
10:00:27.0 - Delamar
Duration:
574.6
Landing:
10:40
10:10:01.6 - Rogers
Altitude:101,600 Duration: 1:31
5.72/3906
Distance:
233.7
Chase:
Sorlie/Dana/Crews/Rogers
105—Phase II optical degradation experiment. Inner pane of right windshield shattered. Pilot
reported smoke in cockpit. Flight attempt on previous day was canceled for weather before B-52
takeoff.

Flight/Pilot: 3-A-46/McKay
Date: Mon. 11 May 1964
Remarks:
LOX tank regulator over pressurized.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:3-28-47/John B. McKay (11)B-52/Pilots: 003/Bement & Jones
Tue. 12 May 1964
Engine Run: 108.6
Takeoff:
09:07
09:51:46.0 - Hidden Hills Duration:
491.3
Landing:
10:40
09:59:57.3 - Rogers
Altitude:72,800 Duration: 1:33
4.66/3084
Distance:
155.6
Chase:
Sorlie/Peterson/Engle
106—No velocity, altitude, or rate-of-climb information was available to the pilot because of aninertial guidance computer failure. Pitch and roll channels of SAS tripped off and could not be
reengaged. Speed brakes only opened to 30 percent during high heat.
35

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:1-48-75/Joe H. Engle (5)B-52/Pilots: 003/Fulton & Jones
Tue. 19 May 1964
Engine Run: 78.7
Takeoff:
09:35
10:26:28.0 - Delamar
Duration:
541.2
Landing:
11:05
10:35:29.2 - Rogers
Altitude:195,800 Duration: 1:30
5.02/3494
Distance:
221.6
Chase:
Sorlie/Gordon/Dana/Daniel
107—Phase II optical degradation experiment. Altitude buildup flight. This aircraft was used as astatic display during Armed Forces Day celebrations at Edwards.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:3-29-48/Milton O. Thompson (5)B-52/Pilots: 003/Fulton & JonesThu. 21 May 1964
Engine Run: 42.9
Takeoff:
08:58
09:39:34.0 - Silver
Duration:
476.5
Landing:
10:40
09:47:30.5 - Cuddeback Altitude:64,200 Duration: 1:42
2.90/1865
Distance:
87.0
Chase:
Rushworth/Dana/Sorlie
108—Thompson’s shortest flight. Engine shut down at 41 seconds and would not re-light in two
attempts. Emergency landing with no damage. Defective fuel line switch caused engine shutdown.

Flight/Pilot: 1-A-76/Thompson
Date: Thu. 11 Jun. 1964
Remarks:
Radio, SAS, APU, and cabin pressurization problems.
Flight/Pilot: 2-C-53/Rushworth
Date: Mon. 15 Jun. 1964
Remarks:
Captive flight after aircraft refurbishment and modifications following flight 074. First time
airborne for X-15A-2. Cabin pressure and inertial system oscillation. SAS kept disengaging.
Landing gear lanyard too long. (Landing gear problem surfaced again because lanyard was
shortened too much.) Ram air door could not be closed in flight. Rushworth was unable to open
cockpit after landing.
Flight/Pilot: 2-A-54/Rushworth
Date: Tue. 23 Jun. 1964
Remarks:
APU-2 shut down. Scheduled check of stability at low angles-of-attack.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:2-32-55/Robert A. Rushworth (21)B-52/Pilots: 003/Fulton & Bement
Thu. 25 Jun. 1964
Engine Run: 78.2
Takeoff:
08:50
09:34:47.0 - Hidden Hills Duration:
534.7
Landing:
09:58
09:43:41.7 - Rogers
Altitude:83,300 Duration: 1:08
4.59/3104
Distance:
159.9
Chase:Engle/Peterson/Rogers/Sorlie
109—First flight of aircraft no. 2 since 9 Nov. 62 rollover accident at Mud Dry Lake, which led torebuild and upgrade to X-15A-2 configuration. First flight past Mach 4 for A-2. Right roll out of trim.
Right horizontal stabilizer warped. This stabilizer was exchanged with the stabilizer on X-15 no. 3.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-49-77/John B. McKay (12)B-52/Pilots: 003/Fulton & Lewis
Tue. 30 Jun. 1964
Engine Run: 83.4
Takeoff:
08:59
09:49:40.0 - Delamar
Duration:
686.7
Landing:
10:27
10:01:06.7 - Rogers
Altitude:99,600 Duration: 1:28
4.96/3334
Distance:
226.4
Chase:Engle/Peterson/Sorlie/Rogers
110—Stable platform power supply failed at launch so alternate profile was flown. Flight scheduled
for 182,000 feet. McKay replaced Thompson, who was original pilot slated for this flight.

Flight/Pilot: 3-A-49/Engle
Date: Thu. 2 Jul. 1964
Remarks:
First attempted flight by Engle in X-15 no. 3. MH-96 malfunctioned.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:3-30-50/Joe H. Engle (6)B-52/Pilots: 003/Bement & Lewis
Wed. 8 Jul. 1964
Engine Run: 78.9
Takeoff:
11:59
13:02:52.0 - Delamar
Duration:
596.4
Landing:
13:45
13:12:48.4 - Rogers
Altitude:170,400 Duration: 1:46
5.05/3520
Distance:
242.7
Chase:
Sorlie/Dana/Smith/Rogers
111—First flight for Engle in X-15 no. 3. Flights suspended three weeks for rework required onejection seat booms. Ablative test articles were installed on lower ventral and speed brakes.
Aircraft used as static display on 2 and 3 Jun.
36

Flight/Pilot: 3-A-51/Engle
Remarks:
Cooling gas depleted.

Date: Tue. 28 Jul. 1964

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:3-31-52/Joe H. Engle (7)B-52/Pilots: 003/Bement & Fulton
Wed. 29 Jul. 1964
Engine Run: 93.5
Takeoff:
11:12
11:55:19.0 - Hidden Hills Duration:
469.0
Landing:
12:20
12:03:08.0 - Rogers
Altitude:78,000 Duration: 1:08
5.38/3623
Distance:
151.6
Chase:
Sorlie/McKay/Rogers
112—Evaluated heat transfer rates, measured airflow, and tested ablative samples.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:3-32-53/Milton O. Thompson (6)B-52/Pilots: 003/Bement & Fulton
Wed. 12 Aug. 1964
Engine Run: 82.0
Takeoff:
09:30
10:12:33.2 - Hidden Hills Duration:
402.8
Landing:
10:35
10:19:16.0 - Rogers
Altitude:81,200 Duration: 1:05
5.24/3535
Distance:
136.9
Chase:
Rushworth/McKay/Sorlie
113—Experienced high vibrations with speed brakes at high aerodynamic pressures.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

2-33-56/Robert A. Rushworth (22)B-52/Pilots: 003/Fulton & BementFri. 14 Aug. 1964
Engine Run: 80.9
Takeoff:
09:04
09:54:19.0 - Delamar
Duration:
726.3
Landing:
10:32
10:06:25.3 - Rogers
Altitude:103,300 Duration: 1:28
5.23/3590
Distance:
227.4
Chase:
Knight/Dana/Engle/Sorlie
114—First flight of A-2 past Mach 5. Nose gear extended after peak Mach at about Mach 4.2.
Chase aircraft reported tires appeared badly burned, but Rushworth stayed with aircraft. Tires
failed 300 feet after touchdown and remainder of the 5,630 foot rollout was on the rims.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:3-33-54/John B. McKay (13)B-52/Pilots: 003/Fulton & Bement
Wed. 26 Aug. 1964
Engine Run: 94.4
Takeoff:
10:00
10:42:07.0 - Hidden Hills Duration:
439.7
Landing:
11:23
10:49:26.7 - Rogers
Altitude:91,000 Duration: 1:23
5.65/3863
Distance:
157.5
Chase:
Sorlie/Peterson/Knight
115—Highest Mach number attained by McKay in program. Heat transfer, skin friction, andboundary layer experiments.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

3-34-55/Milton O. Thompson (7)B-52/Pilots: 003/Bement & JonesThu. 3 Sep. 1964
Engine Run: 92.2
Takeoff:
09:10
09:54:54.0 - Hidden Hills Duration:
378.1
Landing:
10:16
10:01:12.1 - Rogers
Altitude:78,600 Duration: 1:06
5.35/3615
Distance:
140.9
Chase:
Knight/Walker/Rogers
116—Evaluated heat transfer/turbulence over distorted panels. U-2 took off across X-15 approach.

Flight/Pilot: 3-A-56/Engle
Date: Wed. 23 Sep. 1964
Cabin pressure regulator failure. Scheduled ablator samples tests and boundary layer noise data.
Remarks:
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:3-35-57/Joe H. Engle (8)B-52/Pilots: 003/Fulton & Lewis
Mon. 28 Sep. 1964
Engine Run: 82.6
Takeoff:
12:24
13:16:00.0 - Delamar
Duration:
574.3
Landing:
13:54
13:25:34.3 - Rogers
Altitude:97,000 Duration: 1:30
5.59/3888
Distance:
230.3
Chase:
Rogers/McKay/Parsons/Knight
117—Ablative sample tested. Warped right stabilizer found on X-15A-2 on flight 109 and was put
on X-15 no. 3. Smoke in cockpit after burnout. Inertial velocity malfunction.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

2-34-57/Robert A. Rushworth (23)B-52/Pilots: 008/Fulton & Townsend
Tue. 29 Sep. 1964
Engine Run: 79.7
Takeoff:
12:10
13:00:13.0 - Mud
Duration:
591.0
Landing:
13:30
13:10:04.0 - Rogers
Altitude:97,800 Duration: 1:20
5.20/3542
Distance:
210.3
Chase:
Sorlie/Thompson/Parsons/Engle
118—Stability and control flight. First use of B-52 no. 008 in eight months and first with A-2. Nosegear scoop door came open at about Mach 4.5. Checkout of star tracker system
37

Date: Fri. 2 Oct. 1964
Flight/Pilot: 1-A-78/McKay
Remarks:
First flight of X-15 no. 1 since wing tip pods were modified to perform high altituderesearch. SAS problems.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:1-50-79/John B. McKay (14)B-52/Pilots: 008/Fulton & Cotton
Thu. 15 Oct. 1964
Engine Run: 72.9
Takeoff:
12:31
13:15:40.0 - Hidden Hills Duration:
520.9
Landing:
13:50
13:24:20.9 - Rogers
Altitude:84,900 Duration: 1:19
4.56/3048
Distance:
153.5
Chase:
Rogers/Peterson/Knight50
119—Flight fifty for X-15 no. 1. First flight with 200-pound wing tip pods installed. Micrometeorite
experiment opened while going transonic at High-Key point. Evaluated inertial guidance systemthat was to have been used in X-20 Dyna-Soar program and was later incorporated into X-15.

Flight/Pilot: 3-C-58/Thompson
Date: Thu. 29 Oct. 1964
Remarks:
Scheduled captive flight to verify nose gear modifications. Flight was flown late in the day
and did not return until just before sunset at 4:53 p.m.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:3-36-59/Milton O. Thompson (8)B-52/Pilots: 008/Bement & Lewis
Fri. 30 Oct. 1964
Engine Run: 74.4
Takeoff:
09:12
09:51:52.2 - Hidden Hills Duration:
430.8
Landing:
10:27
09:59:03.0 - Rogers
Altitude:84,600 Duration: 1:15
4.66/3113
Distance:
142.1
Chase:
Rushworth/Peterson/Engle
120—Evaluated nose gear modification. Evaluated center stick controller. Boundary layer noiseand shear layer experiments. Fire warning light came on 54 seconds after engine shutdown.

Flight/Pilot: 2-C-58/McKay
Date: Fri. 6 Nov. 1964
Remarks:
Scheduled captive flight to check landing gear modification.
Flight/Pilot: 2-C-59/McKay
Date: Mon. 16 Nov. 1964
Remarks:
Scheduled captive flight to check landing gear modification.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:2-35-60/John B. McKay (15)B-52/Pilots: 008/Bement & Bock
Mon. 30 Nov. 1964
Engine Run: 75.3
Takeoff:
11:30
12:09:32.0 - Hidden Hills Duration:
514.8
Landing:
12:42
12:18:06.8 - Rogers
Altitude:87,200 Duration: 1:12
4.66/3089
Distance:
159.4
Chase:
Sorlie/Mallick/Rogers/Knight/Twinting
121—First launch for McKay in X-15A-2. Same aircraft that rolled over on McKay when crashlanding on flight 074, 9 Nov. 62. Evaluated stability and control. Star tracker experiment. Landing
gear checkout after cable pull was modified by shortening from 13.75 inches to 11 inches.

Flight/Pilot: 1-A-80/Engle
Date: Fri. 4 Dec. 1964
Fuel vent valve failure. Scheduled checks of X-20 guidance system and MIT Horizon Photometer.
Remarks:
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:3-37-60/Milton O. Thompson (9)B-52/Pilots: 008/Fulton & Lewis
Wed. 9 Dec. 1964
Engine Run: 101.4
Takeoff:
09:56
10:36:17.0 - Hidden Hills Duration:
385.7
Landing:
11:05
10:42:42.7 - Rogers
Altitude:92,400 Duration: 1:09
5.42/3723
Distance:
142.1
Chase:
Rushworth/Peterson/Sorlie/Twinting
122—Gathered data on skin friction, boundary layer noise, and ablatives.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-51-81/Joe H. Engle (9)B-52/Pilots: 003/Fulton & Bock
Thu. 10 Dec. 1964
Engine Run: 80.5
Takeoff:
10:02
11:10:26.0 - Delamar
Duration:
584.7
Landing:
11:48
11:20:10.7 - Rogers
Altitude:113,200 Duration: 1:46
5.35/3675
Distance:
227.2
Chase:
Sorlie/McKay/Parsons/Rogers
123—Evaluated X-20 guidance and dampers-off directional control. SAS pitch malfunction 10
seconds after launch. Unable to correct during flight. Air density experiments.
38

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:3-38-61/Robert A. Rushworth (24)B-52/Pilots: 003/Fulton & Bock
Tue. 22 Dec. 1964
Engine Run: 88.0
Takeoff:
09:54
10:44:52.0 - Hidden Hills Duration:
469.9
Landing:
11:08
10:52:41.9 - Rogers
Altitude:81,200 Duration: 1:14
5.55/3593
Distance:
148.4
Chase:
Twinting/Mallick/Knight
124—Rushworth experienced continual roll oscillations after launch. He stated that nothing on theflight appeared normal. Originally scheduled to land on runway 23 but was unavailable. Changing
runways forced a high crosswind landing that nearly overloaded the landing struts. Ablative
samples tested.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:3-39-62/Milton O. Thompson (10)B-52/Pilots: 003/Bement & Fulton
Wed. 13 Jan. 1965
Engine Run: 98.5
Takeoff:
10:03
10:51:06.7 - Hidden Hills Duration:
407.6
Landing:
11:15
10:57:54.3 - Rogers
Altitude:99,400 Duration: 1:12
5.48/3712
Distance:
147.7
Chase:
Smith/Dana/Rushworth
125—Highest Mach number attained by Thompson in program. Gathered data on heat transfer,boundary layer noise, and skin friction. Roll damper malfunctioned during pull-up/roll maneuver.

Flight/Pilot: 1-A-82/McKay
Date: Tue. 26 Jan. 1965
Remarks:
Inertial system malfunctioned.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:3-40-63/Joe H. Engle (10)B-52/Pilots: 008/Fulton & Bement
Tue. 2 Feb. 1965
Engine Run: 81.4
Takeoff:
12:00
12:50:14.6 - Delamar
Duration:
598.3
Landing:
13:15
13:00:12.9 - Rogers
Altitude:98,200 Duration: 1:15
5.71/3885
Distance:
230.6
Chase:
Sorlie/Peterson/Stroface/Rushworth
126—Highest Mach attained by Engle in program. Evaluated ablative test samples. Boundary layer
noise and skin friction experiments. MH-96 system fixed gain evaluation. Radar beacon did not function
properly on outbound portion of flight. Reset and restarted 10 seconds to launch and worked properly

Flight/Pilot: 2-C-61/Rushworth
Date: Mon. 15 Feb. 1965
Remarks:
Scheduled captive flight to check out modifications to main landing gear. Supposed tophotograph gear deployment but failed to get it, so a second flight was scheduled later thatsame day.
Flight/Pilot: 2-C-62/Rushworth
Date: Mon. 15 Feb. 1965
Remarks:
Scheduled captive flight to check out modifications to main landing gear. Photography
successful on second attempt that day.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:2-36-63/Robert A. Rushworth (25)B-52/Pilots: 008/Fulton & Bement
Wed. 17 Feb. 1965
Engine Run: 79.8
Takeoff:
09:54
10:44:59.6 - Mud
Duration:
559.8
Landing:
11:15
10:54:19.4 - Rogers
Altitude:95,100 Duration: 1:21
5.27/3511
Distance:
207.2
Chase:
Sorlie/Dana/Thompson/Engle
127—Check out of the landing gear modifications and the star tracker experiment. Right main
landing gear extended shortly after engine shutdown at approximately Mach 4.3 and 85,000 feet.
Inertial altitude failure. Engine momentarily lost power at 23 seconds.

Flight/Pilot: 1-A-83/McKay
Date: Fri. 19 Feb. 1965
Remarks:
APU-2 malfunctioned. Scheduled to check out guidance system and BCS.
Flight/Pilot: 1-A-84/McKay
Remarks:
Weather abort.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:Date: Thu. 25 Feb. 1965

1-52-85/John B. McKay (16)B-52/Pilots: 008/Fulton & Bock
Fri. 26 Feb. 1965
Engine Run: 83.2
Takeoff:
10:57
11:45:55.0 - Delamar
Duration:
566.0
Landing:
12:16
11:55:21.0 - Rogers
Altitude:153,600 Duration: 1:19
5.40/3750
Distance:
236.9
Chase:
Knight/Peterson/Stroface/Engle
128—Evaluated guidance system and BCS. Computer malfunctioned. Air density and sky brightness.
39

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-53-86/Robert A. Rushworth (26)B-52/Pilots: 008/Fulton & Bock
Fri. 26 Mar. 1965
Engine Run: 79.6
Takeoff:
10:16
11:01:59.2 - Delamar
Duration:
664.3
Landing:
11:44
11:13:03.5 - Rogers
Altitude:101,900 Duration: 1:28
5.17/3580
Distance:
230.8
Chase:Engle/Dana/Gentry/Knight
129—Infrared scanner photography experiment and inertial guidance system checked out.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:3-41-64/Joe H. Engle (11)B-52/Pilots: 008/Fulton & Cotton
Fri. 23 Apr. 1965
Engine Run: 91.4
Takeoff:
09:04
09:44:16.7 - Hidden Hills Duration:
462.1
Landing:
10:13
09:51:58.8 - Rogers
Altitude:79,700 Duration: 1:09
5.48/3580
Distance:
148.7
Chase:
Rushworth/McKay/Knight
130—Heat transfer and boundary layer noise experiments. Evaluated ablative test samples.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

2-37-64/John B. McKay (17)B-52/Pilots: 008/Bock & Townsend
Wed. 28 Apr. 1965
Engine Run: 78.9
Takeoff:
11:28
12:26:20.9 - Hidden Hills Duration:
472.5
Landing:
12:45
12:34:13.4 - Rogers
Altitude:92,600 Duration: 1:17
4.80/3273
Distance:
154.1
Chase:
Sorlie/Thompson/Engle
131—Landing gear checked out, and stability and control evaluated. Inertial altitude rate failure.

Flight/Pilot: 1-A-87/Thompson
Date: Tue. 11 May 1965
Remarks:
SAS, APU, and cabin pressure problems. Scheduled use of MIT horizon scanner.
Flight/Pilot: 2-A-65/McKay
Date: Thu. 13 May 1965
Remarks:
Cabin could not be pressurized.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:2-38-66/John B. McKay (18)B-52/Pilots: 008/Fulton & Jones
Tue. 18 May 1965
Engine Run: 78.9
Takeoff:
09:06
09:56:38.0 - Mud
Duration:
582.0
Landing:
10:35
10:06:20.0 - Rogers
Altitude:102,100 Duration: 1:29
5.17/3541
Distance:
215.9
Chase:
Sorlie/Mallick/Gentry/Engle
132—Engine shut down during ignition idle. Reset and worked at launch. Landing gear
modification checked out. Star tracker and stability and control experiments.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-54-88/Milton O. Thompson (11)B-52/Pilots: 008/Fulton & Jones
Tue. 25 May 1965
Engine Run: 81.1
Takeoff:
09:22
10:12:07.5 - Mud
Duration:
542.5
Landing:
10:35
10:21:10.0 - Rogers
Altitude:179,800 Duration: 1:13
4.87/3418
Distance:
211.9
Chase:
Rushworth/Peterson/Stroface/Knight
133—First flight by Thompson above 100,000 feet in program. MIT scanner experiment. Originallyscheduled for launch at Delamar, but weather conditions deteriorated and forced a change to Mud.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:3-42-65/Joe H. Engle (12)B-52/Pilots: 008/Fulton & Jones
Fri. 28 May 1965
Engine Run: 82.5
Takeoff:
08:56
09:43:51.0 - Delamar
Duration:
575.4
Landing:
10:24
09:53:26.4 - Rogers
Altitude:209,600 Duration: 1:28
5.17/3754
Distance:
243.4
Chase:
Sorlie/Haise/Parsons/Knight
134—First flight by Engle above 200,000 feet in program. Langley’s Horizon Scanner mounted
above engine exhaust on upper ventral. Northrop Space Lab Radiometer, boundary layer noise
experiments.

Flight/Pilot: 2-A-67/McKay
Date: Fri. 4 Jun. 1965
Remarks:
Cabin pressure regulator failure. Scheduled star tracker checkout.
Flight/Pilot: 2-A-68/McKay
Date: Tue. 8 Jun. 1965
Remarks:
Helium source pressure lost.
40

Date: Fri. 11 Jun. 1965
Flight/Pilot: 2-A-69/McKay
Remarks:
Helium source pressure lost.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:3-43-66/Joe H. Engle (13)B-52/Pilots: 003/Fulton & Cretney
Wed. 16 Jun. 1965
Engine Run: 77.8
Takeoff:
09:38
10:26:33.0 - Delamar
Duration:
586.4
Landing:
11:00
10:36:19.4 - Rogers
Altitude:244,700 Duration: 1:22
4.69/3404
Distance:
232.1
Chase:
Wood/Mallick/Sorlie/Twinting
135—Measured ultraviolet radiation with tail mounted scanner. Boundary layer noise experiment.
APU-2 shut down after initial start, but restart was successful.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-55-89/Milton O. Thompson (12)B-52/Pilots: 008/Fulton & Cotton
Thu. 17 Jun. 1965
Engine Run: 82.2
Takeoff:
08:56
09:40:31.2 - Delamar
Duration:
534.0
Landing:
10:23
09:49:25.2 - Rogers
Altitude:108,500 Duration: 1:27
5.14/3541
Distance:
218.2
Chase:
Twinting/McKay/Stroface/Engle
136—Infrared scanner and reflected solar radiation experiment. Two SAS pitch and roll failuresprior to launch. Able to reset, but went out again at launch. Used Alternate SAS during flight.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

2-39-70/John B. McKay (19)B-52/Pilots: 008/Fulton & Bock
Tue. 22 Jun. 1965
Engine Run: 85.3
Takeoff:
08:58
09:44:43.9 - Delamar
Duration:
587.7
Landing:
10:15
09:54:31.6 - Rogers
Altitude:155,900 Duration: 1:17
5.64/3938
Distance:
245.0
Chase:
Rushworth/Peterson/Gentry/Knight
137—Evaluated star tracker and landing gear. Originally scheduled for Mud launch but had to bechanged to Delamar due to thunderstorms.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:3-44-67/Joe H. Engle (14)B-52/Pilots: 008/Fulton & Andonian
Tue. 29 Jun. 1965
Engine Run: 81.0
Takeoff:
09:37
10:21:17.6 - Delamar
Duration:
632.5
Landing:
11:05
10:31:50.1 - Rogers
Altitude:280,600 Duration: 1:28
4.94/3432
Distance:
239.2
Chase:
Wood/McKay/Gentry/Parsons
138—Highest altitude attained by Engle in program. Fourth X-15 pilot to attain astronaut rating.
Boundary layer noise, horizon scanner, and radiometer experiments. Reentry techniques evaluated.

Flight/Pilot: 2-A-71/McKay
Date: Fri. 2 Jul. 1965
Remarks:
Inertial platform malfunctioned.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:2-40-72/John B. McKay (20)B-52/Pilots: 003/Fulton & Cotton
Thu. 8 Jul. 1965
Engine Run: 82.9
Takeoff:
08:29
09:16:55.8 - Delamar
Duration:
573.4
Landing:
09:50
09:26:29.2 - Rogers
Altitude:212,600 Duration: 1:21
5.19/3659
Distance:
245.5
Chase:
Adams/Peterson/Gentry/Knight
139—First flight for McKay above 200,000 feet in program. RAS failed to operate. Evaluatedlanding dynamics. Star Tracker experiment worked but no data was taken due to excessive rolland yaw.

Flight/Pilot: 3-A-68/Rushworth
Date: Tue. 13 Jul. 1965
Remarks:
Cabin pressure regulator malfunctioned. Scheduled boundary layer noise experiment.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:3-45-69/Robert A. Rushworth (27)B-52/Pilots: 008/Jones & Andonian
Wed. 20 Jul. 1965
Engine Run: 79.2
Takeoff:
09:08
09:59:28.8 - Delamar
Duration:
634.5
Landing:
10:38
10:10:03.3 - Rogers
Altitude:105,400 Duration: 1:30
5.40/3760
Distance:
236.4
Chase:
Knight/Dana/Whelan/Gentry
140—Boundary layer noise experiment. Experiments in tail cone removed prior to flight. APU-1
helium fill valve was knocked off by pilot during cockpit entry. Valve was replaced and flight went
ahead.
41

Date: Fri. 23 Jul. 1965
Flight/Pilot: 1-A-90/Thompson
Pressure suit face plate leaked, causing a pipe organ sound to the pilot. Infrared experiment.
Remarks:
Flight/Pilot: 1-A-91/Thompson
Date: Tue. 27 Jul. 1965
Remarks:
Radio malfunctioned. X-15 could not receive uprange stations.
Date: Wed. 28 Jul. 1965
Flight/Pilot: 1-A-92/Thompson
Remarks:
Q-ball nose beta mechanism was wired in reverse causing the system to malfunction.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:2-41-73/Robert A. Rushworth (28)B-52/Pilots: 008/Bock & Andonian
Tue. 3 Aug. 1965
Engine Run: 82.4
Takeoff:
11:51
12:40:05.7 - Delamar
Duration:
572.0
Landing:
13:05
12:49:37.7 - Rogers
Altitude:208,700 Duration: 1:14
5.16/3602
Distance:
249.2
Chase:
Sorlie/Dana/Whelan/Stroface
141—Evaluated BCS stability in relation to the star tracker experiment. Rushworth’s farthest flight.
Farthest flight for A-2. Right roll out of trim.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-56-93/Milton O. Thompson (13)B-52/Pilots: 008/Fulton & Andonian
Fri. 6 Aug. 1965
Engine Run: 83.0
Takeoff:
08:51
09:41:46.7 - Delamar
Duration:
613.0
Landing:
10:36
09:51:59.7 - Rogers
Altitude:103,200 Duration: 1:45
5.15/3534
Distance:
235.6
Chase:
Rushworth/Haise/Livingston/Engle
142—Stability and control tests. SAS wiring was completely replaced prior to flight. Q-ball system
replaced because unit was required on A-2, and another unit was unavailable. Space Lab Infrared
Scanner experiment. Engine cockpit timer failed to operate after launch.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:3-46-70/Joe H. Engle (15)B-52/Pilots: 003/Jones & Andonian
Tue. 10 Aug. 1965
Engine Run: 82.1
Takeoff:
10:28
11:24:21.7 - Delamar
Duration:
591.8
Landing:
11:51
11:34:13.5 - Rogers
Altitude:271,000 Duration: 1:23
5.20/3550
Distance:
246.9
Chase:
Sorlie/Dana/Gentry/Stroface
143—Reentry techniques evaluated. Yaw damper kept disengaging. Had to be reset twenty times
throughout flight. Boundary layer noise and infrared horizon scanner experiments. Engle’s farthest
flight.

Flight/Pilot: 1-A-94/Thompson
Date: Fri. 20 Aug. 1965
Remarks:
Cabin pressure regulator failure.
Flight/Pilot: 1-A-95/Thompson
Remarks:
Inertial system abort.

Date: Tue. 24 Aug. 1965

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-57-96/Milton O. Thompson (14)B-52/Pilots: 003/Fulton & Cotton
Wed. 25 Aug. 1965
Engine Run: 84.5
Takeoff:
09:05
09:54:46.8 - Delamar
Duration:
531.5
Landing:
10:38
10:03:38.3 - Rogers
Altitude:214,100 Duration: 1:33
5.11/3604
Distance:
237.1
Chase:
Rushworth/McKay/Merrett/Parsons
144—First flight by Thompson above 200,000 feet in program, as well as highest altitude andfarthest flight. Thompson’s final flight in the X-15 program. Horizon scanner experiment. Poor pitch
control during landing due to position of center of gravity.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:3-47-71/Robert A. Rushworth (29)B-52/Pilots: 008/Cotton & Bock
Thu. 26 Aug. 1965
Engine Run: 78.6
Takeoff:
09:01
09:52:12.1 - Delamar
Duration:
627.6
Landing:
10:30
10:02:39.7 - Rogers
Altitude:239,600 Duration: 1:29
4.79/3372
Distance:
230.0
Chase:
Sorlie/Haise/Livingston/Parsons
145—Boundary layer noise and radiometer experiments. Flight slipped due to wet lakebeds, thenslipped again due to conflict with flight 144.
42

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:2-42-74/John B. McKay (21)B-52/Pilots: 008/Bock & JonesThu. 2 Sep. 1965
Engine Run: 84.0
Takeoff:
08:52
09:40:05.6 - Delamar
Duration:
549.8
Landing:
10:15
09:49:15.4 - Rogers
Altitude:239,800 Duration: 1:23
5.16/3570
Distance:
242.4
Chase:
Rushworth/Peterson/Stroface/Knight
146—Prior to flight the basic structure of the X-15 was x-rayed by the US Air Force. No defects
were noted. Star tracker experiment and landing dynamics data.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-58-97/Robert A. Rushworth (30)B-52/Pilots: 008/Bock & Fulton
Thu. 9 Sep. 1965
Engine Run: 82.1
Takeoff:
09:10
09:55:50.7 - Delamar
Duration:
670.2
Landing:
10:40
10:07:00.9 - Rogers
Altitude:97,200 Duration: 1:30
5.25/3534
Distance:
234.0
Chase:
Wood/Peterson/Livingston/Parsons
147—Evaluation of ablative on lower fixed ventral and speed brakes. MIT Infrared Horizon
Scanner experiment. Unexplained periodic pitch motion reported by pilot during flight.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:3-48-72/John B. McKay (22)B-52/Pilots: 008/Bock & Jones
Tue. 14 Sep. 1965
Engine Run: 80.9
Takeoff:
09:12
10:01:06.0 - Delamar
Duration:
598.1
Landing:
10:39
10:11:04.1 - Rogers
Altitude:239,000 Duration: 1:27
5.03/3519
Distance:
239.2
Chase:
Rushworth/Haise/Evenson/Knight
148—Boundary layer and infrared scanner experiments. Faulty pitch trim motor filter caused baddata on MH-96 system and SAS servos.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-59-98/Robert A. Rushworth (31)B-52/Pilots: 003/Bock & Jones
Tue. 22 Sep. 1965
Engine Run: 82.0
Takeoff:
10:07
10:58:39.7 - Delamar
Duration:
653.9
Landing:
11:38
11:09:33.6 - Rogers
Altitude:100,300 Duration: 1:31
5.18/3550
Distance:
232.7
Chase:
Sorlie/Dana/Adams/Engle
149—Infrared scanner experiment. LOX tank venting caused pitch down after burnout first notedon flight 147.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:3-49-73/John B. McKay (23)B-52/Pilots: 003/Bock & Andonian
Tue. 28 Sep. 1965
Engine Run: 80.8
Takeoff:
09:24
10:07:37.6 - Delamar
Duration:
716.6
Landing:
10:42
10:19:34.2 - Rogers
Altitude:295,600 Duration: 1:18
5.33/3732
Distance:
290.5
Chase:
Rushworth/Peterson/Haise/Engle
150—McKay becomes fifth X-15 pilot to achieve astronaut qualification. Highest altitude andfarthest flight attained by McKay in program. Boundary layer noise and infrared scanner experiments.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-60-99/William J. Knight (1)B-52/Pilots: 003/Bock & Fulton
Thu. 30 Sep. 1965
Engine Run: 127.4
Takeoff:
08:55
09:43:55.3 - Hidden Hills Duration:
502.6
Landing:
10:10
09:52:17.9 - Rogers
Altitude:76,600 Duration: 1:15
4.06/2718
Distance:
143.7
Chase:
Sorlie/Peterson/Engle
151—First flight for Knight in program and first past Mach 4. Infrared scanner experiment.

Flight/Pilot: 1-A-100/Engle
Date: Fri. 8 Oct. 1965
Remarks:
BCS leak. 100th time X-15 no. 1 carried aloft. Only X-15 to achieve 100 times aloft.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:3-50-74/William J. Knight (2)B-52/Pilots: 008/Jones & Fulton
Tue. 12 Oct. 1965
Engine Run: 86.2
Takeoff:
09:02
09:43:13.2 - Hidden Hills Duration:
427.8
Landing:
10:22
09:50:21.0 - Rogers
Altitude:94,400 Duration: 1:20
4.62/3108
Distance:
140.7
Chase:
Sorlie/Haise/Engle
152—First flight for Knight in X-15 no. 3. Launch number 50 for aircraft no. 3. Shortest flight by
Knight. APU-2 shutdown after launch and was reset ninety seconds after burnout.
43

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:1-61-101/Joe H. Engle (16)B-52/Pilots: 003/Bock & JonesThu. 14 Oct. 1965
Engine Run: 84.8
Takeoff:
11:54
12:46:32.6 - Delamar
Duration:
558.4
Landing:
13:26
12:55:51.0 - Rogers
Altitude:266,500 Duration: 1:32
5.08/3554
Distance:
237.4
Chase:
Sorlie/McKay/Parsons/Knight
153—Final flight in program for Engle. MIT Horizon Photometer experiment and Pace transducer
tests. Data timer failure. Yaw damper tripped out twice and was reset successfully.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:3-51-75/John B. McKay (24)B-52/Pilots: 003/Fulton & Jones
Wed. 27 Oct. 1965
Engine Run: 75.6
Takeoff:
09:56
10:49:10.3 - Delamar
Duration:
713.7
Landing:
11:20
11:01:04.0 - Rogers
Altitude:236,900 Duration: 1:24
5.06/3519
Distance:
276.3
Chase:
Sorlie/Peterson/Stroface/Engle
154—Boundary layer noise, infrared scanner, and horizontal stabilizer loads experiments.

Flight/Pilot: 1-A-102/Dana
Date: Tue. 2 Nov. 1965
Remarks:
Cabin pressure regulator malfunctioned and lost telemetry. First attempted launch for Dana.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:2-43-75/Robert A. Rushworth (32)B-52/Pilots: 003/Bock & Doryland
Wed. 3 Nov. 1965
Engine Run: 84.1
Takeoff:
08:26
09:09:10.7 - Cuddeback Duration:
301.6
Landing:
09:33
09:14:12.3 - Rogers
Altitude:70,600 Duration: 1:07
2.31/1500
Distance:
54.4
Chase:
Knight/Haise/Engle
155—First time A-2 is configured with external tanks for flight (tanks were empty). Tanks separated
properly. Ammonia tank landed intact, but LOX tank was destroyed on impact when parachutefailed. Only external tank not recovered intact. Lower ventral installed for flight but lost whenparachute failed to deploy. First use of lower ventral since flight 070. First and only flight thatlaunched from Cuddeback.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:1-62-103/William H. Dana (1)B-52/Pilots: 008/Bock & Doryland
Thu. 4 Nov. 1965
Engine Run: 124.2
Takeoff:
08:27
09:11:31.0 - Hidden Hills Duration:
525.1
Landing:
09:40
09:20:16.1 - Rogers
Altitude:80,200 Duration: 1:13
4.22/2765
Distance:
141.8
Chase:
Sorlie/Peterson/Knight
156—First flight for Dana in program and first past Mach 4. Engine took three attempts and nearly
25 seconds before ignition. Weather problems put the next attempted flight off for more than fivemonths. The next successful launch did not occur for six months and two days.

Flight/Pilot: 2-A-76/Rushworth
Date: Wed. 13 Apr. 1966
Remarks:
Inertial system failed prior to launch.
Flight/Pilot: 2-A-77/Rushworth
Date: Wed. 20 Apr. 1966
Remarks:
Yaw channel of SAS failed to engage after APU start.
Flight/Pilot: 2-A-78/Rushworth
Date: Thu. 5 May 1966
Remarks:
Yaw channel of SAS failed to engage after APU start.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-63-104/John B. McKay (25)B-52/Pilots: 003/Fulton & Doryland
Fri. 6 May 1966
Engine Run: 35.4
Takeoff:
12:34
13:30:12.8 - Delamar
Duration:
362.7
Landing:
14:22
13:36:15.5 - Delamar
Altitude:68,400 Duration: 1:48
2.21/1434
Distance:
62.2
Chase:
Knight/Curtis/Peterson/Gentry/Stroface
157—Premature engine shutdown at 35 seconds. Ruptured turbo pump case. Window shade test
flown over left window. Canopy damaged after ejection on landing. Aircraft went off lakebed before
coming to a stop, but there was no damage to the airframe except for the canopy.

44

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:2-44-79/Robert A. Rushworth (33)
B-52/Pilots: 003/Fulton & Doryland
Wed. 18 May 1966
Engine Run: 81.9
Takeoff:
09:33
10:24:00.3 - Mud
Duration:
536.8
Landing:
11:00
10:32:57.1 - Rogers
Altitude:99,000 Duration: 1:27
5.43/3689
Distance:
211.7
Chase:
Sorlie/Dana/Peterson/Gentry
158—Ablative test on nose gear door, horizontal stabilizer, and lower fixed ventral. Fuel leakthrough jettison tube caused premature burnout of the engine, although planned Mach number
was reached.

Flight/Pilot: 1-A-105/McKay
Date: Thu. 2 Jun. 1966
Remarks:
Inertial system malfunctioned. Six days after this flight, on 8 June, former X-15 pilot
Joseph A. Walker was killed in a mid-air collision between his F-104A and XB-70A no. 2.
Flight/Pilot: 1-A-106/McKay
Date: Fri. 10 Jun. 1966
Remarks:
Inertial system malfunctioned.
Flight/Pilot: 3-A-76/Dana
Date: Mon. 20 Jun. 1966
Remarks:
Inertial system malfunctioned.
Flight/Pilot: 2-C-80/Rushworth
Date: Mon. 27 Jun. 1966
Remarks:
Scheduled captive flight to check out the fully-loaded external fuel tanks.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:2-45-81/Robert A. Rushworth (34)B-52/Pilots: 008/Fulton & Doryland
Fri. 1 Jul. 1966
Engine Run: 33.2
Takeoff:
10:12
11:02:36.1 - Mud
Duration:
268.6
Landing:
11:55
11:07:04.7 - Mud
Altitude:44,800 Duration: 1:43
1.70/1061
Distance:
35.2
Chase:
Knight/Peterson/Curtis/Sorlie
159—First flight with full external fuel tanks. Telemetry indicated no fuel flow from external tanks
after launch. Bad indicator was at fault. Tanks separated under worst conditions (half full) but there
were no problems and the tanks were recovered intact. The tank parachutes failed to separate ontouchdown, dragging the tanks across the ground. Shortest and last flight for Rushworth inprogram. On return of the X-15 from Mud lake on 6 July the wingtip was clipped by a camper truck
as the truck passed the convoy on the highway. Truck owner attempted to sue for damages but
was unsuccessful.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-64-107/William J. Knight (3)B-52/Pilots: 003/Fulton & Bowline
Tue. 12 Jul. 1966
Engine Run: 83.2
Takeoff:
10:44
11:32:15.7 - Mud
Duration:
516.0
Landing:
12:25
11:40:51.7 - Rogers
Altitude:130,000 Duration: 1:41
5.34/3652
Distance:
209.8
Chase:
Curtis/Dana/Hoag/Gentry
160—First flight for Knight past Mach 5 and above 100,000 feet. Landing was shorter than normal.
Nose strut was bent on landing.

Flight/Pilot: 3-A-77/Dana
Date: Wed. 13 Jul. 1966
Remarks:
Inertial system malfunctioned.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:3-52-78/William H. Dana (2)B-52/Pilots: 003/Fulton & Doryland
Mon. 18 Jul. 1966
Engine Run: 95.5
Takeoff:
10:52
11:38:24.1 - Hidden Hills Duration:
450.6
Landing:
12:15
11:45:54.7 - Rogers
Altitude:96,100 Duration: 1:23
4.71/3217
Distance:
146.1
Chase:
Curtis/Manke/Gentry
161—First flight for Dana in X-15 no. 3. First flight with new Lear Cockpit Display (energy
management system). First flight with third skid installed on lower ventral.

Flight/Pilot: 2-A-82/Knight
Remarks:
Weather abort.

Date: Wed. 20 Jul. 1966

45

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:2-46-83/William J. Knight (4)B-52/Pilots: 003/Doryland & Bowline
Thu. 21 Jul. 1966
Engine Run: 81.3
Takeoff:
11:09
12:02:03.1 - Delamar
Duration:
531.0
Landing:
12:30
12:10:54.1 - Rogers
Altitude:192,300 Duration: 1:21
5.12/3568
Distance:
231.9
Chase:
Curtis/Manke/Sorlie/Gentry/Peterson
162—First flight for Knight in X-15A-2. Right roll was out of trim. Star tracker experiment.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-65-108/John B. McKay (26)B-52/Pilots: 008/Fulton & Bowline
Thu. 28 Jul. 1966
Engine Run: 85.4
Takeoff:
09:08
10:01:12.1 - Delamar
Duration:
583.0
Landing:
11:05
10:10:55.1 - Rogers
Altitude:241,800 Duration: 1:57
5.19/3702
Distance:
253.4
Chase:
Curtis/Peterson/Sorlie/Gentry
163—Computer malfunctioned due to electrical transients on alternator-2. Precise launch schedule
was maintained to simulate WTR missile tracking with experiment on later flights.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:2-47-84/William J. Knight (5)B-52/Pilots: 008/Doryland & Bowline
Wed. 3 Aug. 1966
Engine Run: 81.8
Takeoff:
07:54
08:45:26.3 - Delamar
Duration:
545.5
Landing:
09:24
08:54:31.8 - Rogers
Altitude:249,000 Duration: 1:30
5.03/3440
Distance:
231.1
Chase:
Curtis/Manke/Parsons/Sorlie
164—First flight for Knight above 200,000 feet in program. Inertial altitude incorrect throughout
flight. Star tracker experiment. Engine thrust misalignment.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:3-53-79/William H. Dana (3)B-52/Pilots: 008/Doryland & Bowline
Thu. 4 Aug. 1966
Engine Run: 78.9
Takeoff:
09:06
09:54:43.7 - Mud
Duration:
508.0
Landing:
10:45
10:03:11.7 - Rogers
Altitude:132,700 Duration: 1:39
5.34/3693
Distance:
212.4
Chase:
Curtis/Manke/Parsons/Gentry
165—First flight for Dana above 100,000 feet and Mach 5. Boundary layer noise experiment. Tailloads data. Bug eye camera installed to monitor third skid on lower ventral.

Flight/Pilot: 1-A-109/McKay
Date: Tue. 9 Aug. 1966
Remarks:
Inertial system malfunctioned and BCS valve leaked.
Flight/Pilot: 1-A-110/McKay
Date: Wed. 10 Aug. 1966
Remarks:
No helicopter was available at launch lake to support operations.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-66-111/John B. McKay (27)B-52/Pilots: 003/Doryland & Bowline
Thu. 11 Aug. 1966
Engine Run: 84.8
Takeoff:
08:53
09:44:13.1 - Delamar
Duration:
562.2
Landing:
10:19
09:53:35.3 - Rogers
Altitude:251,000 Duration: 1:26
5.21/3590
Distance:
239.5
Chase:
Sorlie/Manke/Evenson/Gentry
166—Highest dynamic pressure (2,050 psf) attained in program. Electrical power transients
caused intermittent SAS. High crosswind caused the aircraft to swing sharply to the left on landing.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:2-48-85/William J. Knight (6)B-52/Pilots: 003/Doryland & Bowline
Fri. 12 Aug. 1966
Engine Run: 81.7
Takeoff:
09:38
10:25:33.0 - Delamar
Duration:
519.4
Landing:
11:04
10:34:12.4 - Rogers
Altitude:231,100 Duration: 1:26
5.02/3472
Distance:
231.4
Chase:
Sorlie/Mallick/Smith/Adams
167—Star tracker experiment. Engine thrust misalignment.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:3-54-80/William H. Dana (4)B-52/Pilots: 003/Fulton & Bowline
Fri. 19 Aug. 1966
Engine Run: 75.8
Takeoff:
09:03
10:04:35.7 - Delamar
Duration:
573.1
Landing:
10:45
10:14:08.8 - Rogers
Altitude:178,000 Duration: 1:42
5.20/3607
Distance:
241.6
Chase:
Sorlie/Manke/Smith/Adams
168—Altitude buildup flight for pilot. Boundary layer noise experiment.
46

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-67-112/John B. McKay (28)B-52/Pilots: 003/Doryland & Bowline
Thu. 25 Aug. 1966
Engine Run: 83.4
Takeoff:
08:58
09:49:11.2 - Delamar
Duration:
616.2
Landing:
10:35
09:59:27.4 - Rogers
Altitude:257,500 Duration: 1:37
5.11/3543
Distance:
253.4
Chase:
Adams/Manke/Smith/Knight
169—Telemetry lost five minutes after launch. After this flight the wing tip pods were removed from
X-15 no. 1 until late in the program, after the loss of X-15 no. 3 on flight 191. Cockpit system
displays degraded during reentry at 80,000 feet through landing due to a computer program
malfunction.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:2-49-86/William J. Knight (7)B-52/Pilots: 008/Doryland & Cotton
Tue. 30 Aug. 1966
Engine Run: 80.5
Takeoff:
09:02
09:51:37.2 - Mud
Duration:
529.9
Landing:
10:30
10:00:27.1 - Rogers
Altitude:102,200 Duration: 1:28
5.21/3543
Distance:
209.3
Chase:
Curtis/Manke/Hover/Stroface
170—First flight with the Maurer camera system. Ventral parachute deployed prior to jettison andventral was severely damaged after jettison and subsequent impact.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:1-68-113/John B. McKay (29)B-52/Pilots: 008/Doryland & Cotton
Thu. 8 Sep. 1966
Engine Run: 45.5
Takeoff:
09:40
10:39:16.8 - Smith Ranch Duration:
384.5
Landing:
11:40
10:45:41.3 - Smith Ranch Altitude:73,200 Duration: 2:00
2.44/1602
Distance:
67.5
Chase:
Curtis/Manke/Stroface/Gentry
171—First flight launched from Smith Ranch Dry Lake for X-15 no. 1. Last flight for McKay inprogram. Engine shut down prematurely at 45 seconds. Fuel tank regulator malfunctioned, causing
an indication of low fuel line pressure. Nose wheel tire punctured by nail on lakebed runway.

Flight/Pilot: 3-A-81/Dana
Remarks:
Radio failure.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:Date: Tue. 13 Sep. 1966

3-55-82/William H. Dana (5)B-52/Pilots: 003/Doryland & Cotton
Wed. 14 Sep. 1966
Engine Run: 79.3
Takeoff:
11:12
12:01:29.5 - Delamar
Duration:
538.6
Landing:
13:10
12:10:28.1 - Rogers
Altitude:254,200 Duration: 1:58
5.12/3586
Distance:
235.8
Chase:
Curtis/Manke/Hover/Stroface
172—First flight for Dana above 200,000 feet in program. X-15 no. 1 tip pods installed on X-15 no.
3. Third skid did not deploy on landing. Energy management system computer was too cold to turnon. Engine thrust misalignment caused nose right yaw during boost.

Flight/Pilot: 1-A-114/Adams
Date: Wed. 28 Sep. 1966
Remarks:
First attempted launch for Adams in program. Weather abort. McKay was originallyscheduled to take this flight but a wet lakebed forced a delay. MIT Horizon Scanner
experiment was changed to a pilot checkout for Adams.
Flight/Pilot: 1-A-115/Adams
Date: Tue. 4 Oct. 1966
Remarks:
Cabin source pressure failure due to a malfunction of the canopy seal regulator.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-69-116/Michael J. Adams (1)B-52/Pilots: 003/Doryland & Cotton
Thu. 6 Oct. 1966
Engine Run: 89.9
Takeoff:
11:31
12:16:59.8 - Hidden Hills Duration:
506.4
Landing:
12:35
12:25:26.2 - Cuddeback Altitude:
75,400 Duration: 1:04
3.00/1977
Distance:
112.8
Chase:
Sorlie/Dana/Gentry
173—Engine shutdown prematurely due to a rupture in the forward fuel tank bulkhead. First flightfor Adams in program and first to Mach 3. Shortest flight in program for Adams.

Flight/Pilot: 2-A-87/Knight
Date: Fri. 7 Oct. 1966
Remarks:
Telemetry malfunctioned.
47

Date: Wed. 19 Oct. 1966
Flight/Pilot: 2-A-88/Knight
Remarks:
Ammonia tank pressure failure.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

3-56-83/William H. Dana (6)B-52/Pilots: 003/Doryland & Reschke
Tue. 1 Nov. 1966
Engine Run: 82.8
Takeoff:
12:22
13:24:12.8 - Smith Ranch Duration:
643.9
Landing:
14:05
13:34:56.7 - Rogers
Altitude:306,900 Duration: 1:43
5.46/3750
Distance:
292.1
Chase:
Adams/Peterson/Stroface/Gentry
174—First flight for Dana above 300,000 feet. Dana becomes sixth X-15 pilot to achieve astronaut
qualification. Highest altitude attained by Dana. Checklist knocked loose at peak altitude.
Micrometeorite experiment did not cycle. Last time an X-15 would fly above 300,000 feet.

Flight/Pilot: 3-A-84/Dana
Date: Fri. 18 Nov. 1966
Remarks:
Hadley transformer malfunctioned.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:2-50-89/William J. Knight (8)B-52/Pilots: 008/Fulton & Cotton
Fri. 18 Nov. 1966
Engine Run: 136.4
Takeoff:
12:28
13:24:07.2 - Mud
Duration:
506.8
Landing:
14:10
13:32:34.0 - Rogers
Altitude:98,900 Duration: 1:42
6.33/4250
Distance:
204.3
Chase:
Adams/Peterson/Curtis/McKay/Gentry
175—Maurer camera system used. Unofficial world speed record set for class. Second flight withfull external tanks. Ammonia flow sensor inoperative. First flight past Mach 6 for Knight. Highest
speed attained since flight 059. First flight for A-2 past Mach 6. First flight past Mach 6 since flight097. Flight 50 for X-15A-2. Flight accomplished after X-15 no. 3 aborted its flight earlier in the day.

Flight/Pilot: 3-A-85/Adams
Date: Wed. 23 Nov. 1966
Remarks:
APU bearing temperatures went high.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

3-57-86/Michael J. Adams (2)B-52/Pilots: 003/Fulton & Cotton
Tue. 29 Nov. 1966
Engine Run: 97.9
Takeoff:
10:55
11:38:32.6 - Hidden Hills Duration:
476.2
Landing:
12:25
11:46:28.8 - Rogers
Altitude:92,100 Duration: 1:30
4.65/3120
Distance:
149.2
Chase:
Knight/Manke/Gentry
176—Radio malfunctioned at launch and contact was not regained until Cuddeback.

Flight/Pilot: 2-C-90/Knight
Date: Thu. 22 Dec. 1966
Remarks:
Scheduled captive flight for thermocouple environmental checkout. Weather problems
canceled all X-15 flights for nearly three months.
Flight/Pilot: 1-A-117/Adams
Date: Wed. 15 Mar. 1967
Remarks:
Weather abort. Radio malfunction.
Flight/Pilot: 1-A-118/Adams
Date: Tue. 21 Mar. 1967
Remarks:
Inertial system malfunctioned.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:1-70-119/Michael J. Adams (3)B-52/Pilots: 003/Cotton & Reschke
Wed. 22 Mar. 1967
Engine Run: 79.7
Takeoff:
08:55
09:52:04.5 - Mud
Duration:
567.9
Landing:
10:15
10:01:32.4 - Rogers
Altitude:133,100 Duration: 1:20
5.59/3822
Distance:
222.2
Chase:
Gentry/Peterson/Evenson/Knight
177—Highest Mach attained by Adams, and first past Mach 5 and above 100,000 feet. Inertial
system malfunctioned after shutdown. Cockpit pressurization lost. First use of third skid on X-15
no. 1. Ablatives tested on left stabilizer. LR-99 engine governor control was erratic and was
replaced after flight.

Flight/Pilot: 1-A-120/Adams
Date: Thu. 20 Apr. 1967
Remarks:
Weather abort. Inertial system over-cooled and the liquid nitrogen line had to be replacedwith a smaller line. Flight rescheduled for after higher priority X-15 no. 3 flight.
48

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:3-58-87/William H. Dana (7)B-52/Pilots: 008/Cotton & Bowline
Wed. 26 Apr. 1967
Engine Run: 23.2
Takeoff:
10:20
11:20:17.3 - Silver
Duration:
310.3
Landing:
11:45
11:25:27.6 - Silver
Altitude:53,400 Duration: 1:25
1.80/1163
Distance:
42.3
Chase:
Gentry/Manke/Knight
178—Low fuel line pressure indication forced premature shutdown. Erroneous indication causedby frozen sensing line. Dana’s shortest flight in the program and shortest for X-15 no. 3.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-71-121/Michael J. Adams (4)B-52/Pilots: 003/Cotton & Bowline
Fri. 28 Apr. 1967
Engine Run: 82.0
Takeoff:
08:30
09:23:32.6 - Delamar
Duration:
556.0
Landing:
10:30
09:32:48.6 - Rogers
Altitude:167,200 Duration: 2:00
5.44/3720
Distance:
235.3
Chase:
Sorlie/Manke/Evenson/Cuthill
179—Pitch attitude malfunctioned and inertial velocity was erratic. WTR and MIT experiments
checked out. WTR experiment did not deploy because minimum altitude of 170,000 feet notreached. Circuit breakers were found open on WTR experiment after flight and power diodes wereburned.

Flight/Pilot: 2-A-91/Knight
Remarks:
Weather abort.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:Date: Fri. 5 May 1967

2-51-92/William J. Knight (9)B-52/Pilots: 008/Cotton & ReschkeMon. 8 May 1967
Engine Run: 76.9
Takeoff:
11:45
12:27:38.8 - Hidden Hills Duration:
506.8
Landing:
12:55
12:36:05.6 - Rogers
Altitude:97,600 Duration: 1:10
4.75/3193
Distance:
166.9
Chase:
Sorlie/Evenson/Dana/Adams
180—Dummy scramjet mounted on modified lower ventral. Scramjet chute came off but was
repairable. Final flight before full ablative installed on A-2. Eyelid tested on left window. Wheneyelid opened the aircraft pitched up, rolled right, and yawed right. Window fogged over after
eyelid opened.

Flight/Pilot: 3-A-88/Dana
Date: Fri. 12 May 1967
Remarks:
Q-ball system and radio malfunctioned.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

3-59-89/William H. Dana (8)B-52/Pilots: 003/Reschke & Cotton
Wed. 17 May 1967
Engine Run: 96.1
Takeoff:
09:55
10:45:48.0 - Silver
Duration:
415.6
Landing:
11:22
10:52:43.6 - Rogers
Altitude:71,100 Duration: 1:27
4.80/3177
Distance:
124.5
Chase:
Sorlie/Manke/Evenson/Cuthill
181—Attempted lifting body approach during glide, but did not use all the way to landing.

Flight/Pilot: 1-A-122/Adams
Date: Fri. 26 May 1967
Remarks:
Inertial system malfunctioned.
Flight/Pilot: 1-A-123/Adams
Date: Thu. 1 Jun. 1967
Remarks:
Inertial system malfunctioned.
Flight/Pilot: 1-A-124/Adams
Date: Wed. 14 Jun. 1967
Remarks:
Radio failure at 15 seconds to launch.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:1-72-125/Michael J. Adams (5)B-52/Pilots: 003/Cotton & Reschke
Thu. 15 Jun. 1967
Engine Run: 81.4
Takeoff:
10:10
11:09:28.3 - Delamar
Duration:
551.0
Landing:
12:00
11:18:39.3 - Rogers
Altitude:229,300 Duration: 1:50
5.14/3606
Distance:
236.9
Chase:
Gentry/Manke/Davey/Hoag
182—First flight for Adams above 200,000 feet, and his longest flight. Stick kicker inoperative.
WTR frequency converter circuit breaker blew out at shutdown causing video recorder malfunction.
49

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:3-60-90/William H. Dana (9)B-52/Pilots: 008/Cotton & Sturmthal
Thu. 22 Jun. 1967
Engine Run: 93.2
Takeoff:
13:57
14:57:17.2 - Hidden Hills Duration:
426.3
Landing:
15:38
15:04:23.5 - Rogers
Altitude:82,200 Duration: 1:41
5.34/3611
Distance:
139.7
Chase:
Knight/Manke/Krier/Gentry
183—Buffeting experienced during pull-up at Mach 3. Window shade would not retract.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:1-73-126/William J. Knight (10)B-52/Pilots: 008/Reschke & Sturmthal
Thu. 29 Jun. 1967
Engine Run: 67.6
Takeoff:
10:22
11:27:51.2 - Smith Ranch Duration:
607.0
Landing:
12:00
11:37:58.2 - Mud
Altitude:173,000 Duration: 1:38
4.23/2870
Distance:
169.9
Chase:
Cuthill/Dana/Jackson/Evenson/Hoag
184—Complete electrical system failure while climbing through 107,000 feet. One APU wasrestarted to allow emergency landing at Mud lake with no damage. Last emergency landing of an
X-15. Headrest ejected into canopy after landing. Timing should have placed landing at Grapevine.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:3-61-91/William H. Dana (10)B-52/Pilots: 008/Cotton & Fulton
Thu. 20 Jul. 1967
Engine Run: 92.1
Takeoff:
09:19
10:11:00.8 - Hidden Hills Duration:
456.5
Landing:
10:42
10:18:37.3 - Rogers
Altitude:84,300 Duration: 1:23
5.44/3693
Distance:
144.7
Chase:
Adams/Krier/Davey
185—Boost guidance computer did not operate properly throughout flight. An incorrect memory bit
was found in the computer after landing, but a power recycle cleared the problem.

Flight/Pilot: 2-C-93/Knight
Date: Mon. 7 Aug. 1967
Remarks:
Scheduled captive flight checked effects of cold-soak with full ablative coating, dummy
scramjet, and external tanks in place. External tanks removed after captive flight.
Flight/Pilot: 2-A-94/Knight
Date: Fri. 11 Aug. 1967
Remarks:
Pilot’s suit vent heater failed just before launch, causing excess chilling of windshielddefrost lines, which, in turn, caused liquid nitrogen from B-52 pylon to be sprayed on X-15.
Flight/Pilot: 2-A-95/Knight
Date: Tue. 16 Aug. 1967
Remarks:
APU-2 helium source pressure loss.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:2-52-96/William J. Knight (11)B-52/Pilots: 008/Cotton & ReschkeMon. 21 Aug. 1967
Engine Run: 82.2
Takeoff:
10:01
10:59:16.0 - Hidden Hills Duration:
460.0
Landing:
11:27 (approximate)
11:06:56.0 - Rogers
Altitude:91,000 Duration: 1:26 (approximate)
4.94/3368
Distance:
157.0
Chase:
Cuthill/Evenson/Manke/Adams
186—First flight with full ablative coating. Dummy scramjet shape installed. Ejected too close to
ground but was refurbishable. Forward quarter of right window smeared with ablative after heating.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:3-62-92/Michael J. Adams (6)B-52/Pilots: 003/Bowlin & /ReschkeFri. 25 Aug. 1967
Engine Run: 71.3
Takeoff:
12:35
13:27:28.0 - Hidden Hills Duration:
457.0
Landing:
14:01
13:35:05.0 - Rogers
Altitude:84,400 Duration: 1:26
4.63/3115
Distance:
147.3
Chase:
Gentry/Jackson/Knight
187—Engine failed to ignite on first try. Second attempt successful 16 seconds after launch.
Inertial and Q-ball systems failed 10 seconds to touchdown when a circuit breaker popped.

Flight/Pilot: 3-A-93/Dana
Remarks:
Weather abort.

Date: Fri. 22 Sep. 1967

50

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

2-53-97/William J. Knight (12)B-52/Pilots: 008/Cotton & Reschke
Tue. 3 Oct. 1967
Engine Run: 140.7
Takeoff:
13:31
14:31:50.9 - Mud
Duration:
497.0
Landing:
15:20
14:40:07.9 - Rogers
Altitude:102,100 Duration: 1:49
6.70/4520
Distance:
213.7
Chase:
Cuthill/Twinting/Krier/Adams
188—Communications problems forced replacement of pilot’s helmet. During flight, shock waves
burned through leading edge of lower ventral causing small fires in lower engine bay. Heat set off
scramjet separation charges, ejecting over Edwards bombing range at Mach 1 and 32,000 feet.
Control gas line destroyed, resulting in loss of helium to force fuel through jettison lines, thus
preventing jettison. Unofficial world absolute speed record set. Full ablative coating, dummy
scramjet, external tanks, and eyelid. Longest run time of LR-99. Highest Mach attained by X-15.
Not surpassed by winged vehicle until reentry of Space Shuttle Columbia from orbit on 14 April
1981. Final flight of A-2 and last flight of an X-15 above Mach 6. NAA fully refurbished A-2 forflight. Decided not to fly it again and aircraft was eventually sent to National Museum of the US Air
Force at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, for permanent display.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

3-63-94/William H. Dana (11)B-52/Pilots: 003/Cotton & Reschke
Wed. 4 Oct. 1967
Engine Run: 84.7
Takeoff:
09:12
10:16:54.0 - Smith Ranch Duration:
646.0
Landing:
11:04
10:27:40.0 - Rogers
Altitude:251,100 Duration: 1:52
5.53/3897
Distance:
299.8
Chase:
Cuthill/Krier/Gentry/Manke
189—Highest Mach attained by Dana. Micrometeorite system did not retract.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:3-64-95/William J. Knight (13)B-52/Pilots: 008/Reschke & Miller
Tue. 17 Oct. 1967
Engine Run: 84.2
Takeoff:
08:41
09:40:23.0 - Smith Ranch Duration:
606.3
Landing:
10:28
09:50:29.3 - Rogers
Altitude:280,500 Duration: 1:47
5.53/3856
Distance:
296.5
Chase:
Cuthill/Twinting/Gentry/Adams
190—Highest altitude attained by Knight and longest flight. Knight became seventh X-15 pilot toachieve astronaut qualification. Last successful flight of X-15 no. 3. Third skid did not deploy.

Flight/Pilot: 3-A-96/Adams
Date: Tue. 31 Oct. 1967
Remarks:
LR-99 engine igniter idle malfunctioned. Ablative test insulation de-bonded from speed brake.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Impact:Mach/mph:
Mission:3-65-97/Michael J. Adams (7)B-52/Pilots: 008/Cotton & Miller
Wed. 15 Nov. 1967
Engine Run: 82.3
Takeoff:
09:13
10:30:07.4 - Delamar
Duration:
291.4
Landing:
11:25
10:34:58.8
Altitude:266,000 Duration: 2:12
5.20/3570
Distance:
185.8
Chase:
Cuthill/Jackson/Dana/Twinting
191—X-15 no. 3 entered spin at reentry, caused by excessive yaw at peak altitude. Aircraft
recovered, but PIO, complicated by saturation of MH-96 system, caused oscillations in pitch which
exceeded design limits. Aircraft disintegrated and crashed near Johannesburg. Michael Adams killed.
Only fatal accident of program. Highest altitude attained by Adams, who posthumously became
eighth X-15 pilot to achieve astronaut qualification. Next flight did not take place for four months.

Flight/Pilot: 1-C-127/Dana
Date: Tue. 6 Feb. 1968
Scheduled captive flight to check modifications after electrical failure on flight 184.
Remarks:
Flight/Pilot: 1-A-128/Dana
Date: Wed. 7 Feb. 1968
Remarks:
Cabin pressurization failure and yaw channel of SAS failed pre-launch check.
Flight/Pilot: 1-A-129/Dana
Date: Tue. 27 Feb. 1968
Remarks:
SAS failed pre-launch check. Metal chips found in test box after de-mating.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-74-130/William H. Dana (12)B-52/Pilots: 008/Cotton & Stroup
Fri. 1 Mar. 1968
Engine Run: 65.6
Takeoff:
10:34
11:28:11.0 - Hidden Hills Duration:
455.1
Landing:
12:15
11:35:46.1 - Rogers
Altitude:104,500 Duration: 1:41
4.36/2878
Distance:
141.0
Chase:
Twinting/Krier/Knight/Jackson
192—Pressure suit inflated during final approach.
51

Flight/Pilot: 1-A-131/Dana
Remarks:
Radio malfunctioned.

Date: Thu. 28 Mar. 1968

Flight/Pilot: 1-A-132/Dana
Remarks:
Weather abort.

Date: Wed. 3 Apr. 1968

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:1-75-133/William H. Dana (13)B-52/Pilots: 008/Cotton & Sturmthal
Thu. 4 Apr. 1968
Engine Run: 78.8
Takeoff:
08:29
10:02:17.1 - Delamar
Duration:
562.8
Landing:
10:43
10:11:39.9 - Rogers
Altitude:187,500 Duration: 2:14
5.27/3610
Distance:
232.8
Chase:
Cuthill/Jackson/Smith/Hoag/Fulton
193—Emergency retraction required for WTR experiment. Saturn ablative tests. Tip pods installed.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-76-134/William J. Knight (14)B-52/Pilots: 008/Sturmthal & ReschkeFri. 26 Apr. 1968
Engine Run: 81.5
Takeoff:
10:49
11:51:49.8 - Delamar
Duration:
557.1
Landing:
12:45
12:01:06.9 - Rogers
Altitude:209,600 Duration: 1:56
5.05/3545
Distance:
237.2
Chase:
Manke/Krier/Livingston/Gentry/Fulton
194—WTR and Saturn rocket ablative tests. Wing tip pod camera used.

Flight/Pilot: 1-A-135/Dana
Remarks:
Weather abort.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:Date: Thu. 23 May 1968

1-77-136/William H. Dana (14)B-52/Pilots: 008/Cotton & Reschke
Wed. 12 Jun. 1968
Engine Run: 83.4
Takeoff:
07:19
08:31:01.0 - Smith Ranch Duration:
692.4
Landing:
09:24
08:42:33.4 - Rogers
Altitude:220,100 Duration: 2:05
5.15/3563
Distance:
294.4
Chase:
Gentry/Manke/Jackson/Hoag/Fulton
195—Emergency retraction of WTR experiment. Altitude build-up flight.

Flight/Pilot: 1-A-137/Knight
Date: Mon. 15 Jul. 1968
Remarks:
BCS malfunctioned. Originally scheduled for 5 July, but changed to 8 July, then 15 July,due to missile launch schedule slippage at Vandenberg AFB.
Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:

1-78-138/William J. Knight (15)B-52/Pilots: 003/Sturmthal & Reschke
Tue. 16 Jul. 1968
Engine Run: 80.5
Takeoff:
14:17
15:23:06.7 - Railroad
Duration:
582.3
Landing:
16:24
15:32:49.0 - Rogers
Altitude:221,500 Duration: 2:07
4.79/3382
Distance:
239.8
Chase:
Gentry/Manke/Cuthill/Davey/Krier
196—First launch from Railroad Dry Lake. Hydraulic gauge malfunction during boost forced aprofile change. WTR experiment not utilized due to alternate profile. Sky brightness experiment inleft tip pod. Forward looking tip pod camera installed. Experienced shaking and vibration during
reentry from 200,000 feet to 65,000 feet. One year from this date the Apollo 11 flight will launch to
the Moon for the first lunar landing with former X-15 pilot Neil Armstrong as Commander.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:1-79-139/William H. Dana (15)B-52/Pilots: 003/Sturmthal & Fulton
Wed. 21 Aug. 1968
Engine Run: 82.9
Takeoff:
07:52
09:04:48.0 - Railroad
Duration:
563.0
Landing:
10:30
09:14:11.0 - Rogers
Altitude:267,500 Duration: 2:38
5.01/3443
Distance:
234.1
Chase:
Cuthill/Krier/Hoag/Gentry/Shawler
197—Last flight of X-15 program to exceed 50 miles. Only scheduled for 250,000 feet altitude.
WTR experiment retracted by a timer due to altitude overshoot.

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:1-80-140/William J. Knight (16)B-52/Pilots: 003/Sturmthal & Miller
Fri. 13 Sep. 1968
Engine Run: 84.3
Takeoff:
10:06
11:19:23.2 - Smith Ranch Duration:
655.5
Landing:
12:15
11:30:18.7 - Rogers
Altitude:254,100 Duration: 2:09
5.37/3723
Distance:
299.8
Chase:
Twinting/Manke/Shawler/Gentry/Krier
198—Knight’s farthest flight. Farthest flight for X-15 no. 1. Emergency retraction of WTR
experiment. Last launch for Knight and the US Air Force in the X-15 program.
52

Flight/Pilot:
Date:
Launch:Landing:
Mach/mph:
Mission:1-81-141/William H. Dana (16)B-52/Pilots: 003/Sturmthal & Miller
Thu. 24 Oct. 1968
Engine Run: 83.8
Takeoff:
08:56
10:02:47.3 - Smith Ranch Duration:
688.3
Landing:
11:02
10:14:15.6 - Rogers
Altitude:
255,000 Duration: 2:06
5.38/3716
Distance:
297.4
Chase:
Cuthill/Krier/Evenson/Hoag/Manke/Enevoldson
199—Originally scheduled for 12 October, but slipped because of Vandenberg missile launchschedule. First time a missile launch and an X-15 launch were properly coordinated to track launchwith WTR experiment. WTR experiment extended properly, but lost power. No data taken andexperiment doors were closed. BCS system no. 2 never turned on. Sky brightness experiment lost
power at engine shutdown due to a shorted wire. Last flight for Dana and last launch accomplishedin the X-15 program.

Flight/Pilot: 1-A-142/Knight
Date: Thu. 12 Dec. 1968
Remarks:
Inertial system malfunctioned. Last time that the X-15 aircraft taken aloft for attempted launch.
Flight 200
A total of eight attempts were made to launch the 200th flight. The research program was funded through 31
December 1968. All attempts to launch Flight 1-82 met with problems and the flight never occurred. Only onceout of the eight attempts, on Thursday, 12 December, did the X-15 even make it off the ground before
cancellation. The following sequence of events occurred during the last month of the X-15 program:
25 Nov.

X-15 no. 1 was mated to B-52 no. 008.

27 Nov.

The first flight attempt was made on Wednesday, 27 November 1968, but was canceled after pilot
entry and prior to B-52 taxi. The BCS system developed a malfunction causing the right yaw rocket
to steam. This was cleared, but a blower overheated causing cancellation. The X-15 was dematedfrom B-52 no. 008 because it was committed for other testing. B-52 no. 003 was then scheduled totake the final X-15 flight, but this had to be postponed until early December because of its
commitment to a flight in the lifting body program.

9 Dec.

X-15 no. 1 was mated to B-52 no. 003.

10 Dec.

Flight canceled just prior to servicing due to weather conditions.

11 Dec.

Flight again canceled for weather. An inertial guidance system malfunction was detected andrepaired.

12 Dec.

X-15 was taken aloft for launch but canceled due to an inertial system malfunction and weather
conditions at Railroad Valley Dry Lake (Flight 1-A-142).

13 Dec.

Flight canceled due to weather conditions. An engine governor flange was found to be leaking.
Operational checks found the leak was at an acceptable rate to accomplish the flight. Weather was
unacceptable to attempt any flights for the next four days.

17 Dec.

The required C-130 support aircraft was unavailable for X-15 flight operations.

18 Dec.

Flight canceled due to weather conditions.

19 Dec.

Microwave transmissions unavailable so the flight plan was changed to launch from Hidden Hills Dry
Lake to obtain data from a newly-installed Autonetics experiment.

20 Dec.

The final attempt occurred on Friday, 20 December 1968. The B-52, which was ready for taxi withPete Knight in the X-15, never left the ground because of a snowstorm at Edwards AFB. Paul Bikle,
the head of NASA at Edward AFB, came on the radio from the control room to tell everyone that
“Someone is trying to tell us something. It’s time to wrap up the program.” Later that day, X-15 no. 1
was taken back to the hangar and demated from B-52 no. 003 for the final time. It was prepared forstorage and later shipment to the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. for permanent static
display in June 1969.

53

7.

Timeline
This timeline is a summary of major events in the X-15 program and also significant events concerning thepilots who flew the X-15. Included are other major space program and historical events.
1951
20 Apr. Scott Crossfield makes his first flight in a rocket plane, the XS-1.
27 Aug. Joe Walker makes his first flight in a rocket plane, the XS-1.
1953
29 May27 Jul.
20 Nov.
30 Dec.

Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay reach the summit of Mt. Everest.
End of the Korean War.
Scott Crossfield makes the first flight by a manned aircraft to Mach 2 in the D-558, Phase 2.
First color television set sold.

1954
17 May9 Jul.
5 Oct.
9 Nov.
30 Dec.

Segregation ruled illegal in America.
First meeting held to discuss what will eventually become the X-15.
NACA unveils resolution for Mach 7 research aircraft.
“Memorandum of Understanding” signed between NACA, USAF, and USN for X-15 program.
Prospective contractors asked to submit proposals for the X-15 aircraft.

1955
4 Feb.
27 Apr.
9 May
15 Jul.
17 Jul.
5 Aug.
8 Aug.
30 Sep.
30 Nov.
9 Dec.

Prospective contractors asked to submit proposals for the LR-99 rocket engine.
Jack McKay makes his first flight in a rocket plane in the D-558, Phase 2.
NAA, Douglas, Republic, and Bell submit X-15 aircraft proposals.
Specifications set for the X-15 High Range.
Disneyland opens in Anaheim, California.
Completed evaluation report shows North American Aviation as the winning contractor.
Joe Walker jumps from X-1A just before it explodes in the bomb bay of the B-50.
North American Aviation informed it has won the X-15 design competition.
Reaction Motors design is accepted for X-15 rocket engine.
Official contract for three X-15 aircraft is executed.

1956
22 Mar.
28 May29 Jun.
7 Sep.
9 Sep.
25 Sep.

Jack McKay makes emergency drop in D-558, Phase 2, when an engine runs away on B-50.
X-15 aircraft have their tail numbers assigned (56-6670, 56-6671, and 56-6672).
Interstate highway system approved.
XLR99-RM-1 rocket engine contract signed with Reaction Motors.
Elvis Presley first appears on the Ed Sullivan Show.
Trans-Atlantic telephone cable carries first telephone call between America and Europe.

1957
15 Aug. Neil Armstrong makes his first flight in a rocket plane, the X-1B.
4 Oct. Launch of first artificial Earth satellite by the Soviet Union, Sputnik 1.
1958
31 Jan.
3 Aug.
1 Oct.
4 Oct.
15 Oct.
17 Oct.
10 Dec.

Launch of first artificial Earth satellite by the United States, Explorer 1.
USS Nautilus crosses the North Pole under the Arctic ice pack.
The NACA becomes the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
First Trans-Atlantic passenger jet operations begin (BOAC).
Rollout ceremonies are held for first X-15 aircraft at NAA plant in Los Angeles, California.
X-15 no. 1 arrives at Edwards AFB.
First jet airline passenger service in America (National Airlines).

1959
3 Jan.
22 Feb.
27 Feb.
2 Apr.

Alaska admitted as 49th state of the United States of America.
First Daytona 500 stock car race.
Rollout ceremonies are held for X-15 no. 2 at North American Aviation plant in Los Angeles.
NASA selects the original seven astronauts for Project Mercury.
55

10 Apr.
18 Apr.
8 Jun.
21 Aug.
17 Sep.

X-15 no. 2 arrives at Edwards AFB.
Completion of initial qualification runs on LR-99 rocket engine by Reaction Motors.
Flight 1-1-5: Scott Crossfield makes first free flight in the X-15.
Hawaii admitted as 50th state of the United States of America.
Flight 2-1-3: Scott Crossfield makes the first flight of X-15 no. 2 and first powered flight of the program.

1960
17 Mar.
29 Mar.
1 Apr.
1 May
8 Jun.
1 Jul.

Flight 2-6-13: Scott Crossfield experiences maximum positive g (+6.0g) recorded on X-15 flight.
Flight 2-7-15: Scott Crossfield experiences maximum negative g (-3.0g) recorded on X-15 flight.
First weather satellite orbited, Tiros 1.
U-2 reconnaissance aircraft flown by Francis Gary Powers shot down by Soviet Union.
X-15 no. 3 is severely damaged in LR-99 rocket engine ground firing explosion.
50-star United States flag introduced.

1961
7 Mar.
12 Apr.
5 May
25 May13 Jun.
19 Jun.
23 Jun.
12 Aug.
9 Nov.
21 Nov.
20 Dec.

Flight 2-13-26: Robert White makes the first manned aircraft flight above Mach 4.
Vostok 1: Soviet launch of Yuri Gagarin as the first man to orbit the Earth.
Mercury 3: Suborbital launch of Alan Shepard, who becomes the first United States man in space.
President John F. Kennedy commits America to land a man on the Moon before 1970.
Joe Walker receives Chanute prize for record flights in the X-15.
Harmon trophy presented to X-15 pilots Scott Crossfield, Joe Walker, and Bob White.
Flight 2-17-33: Robert White makes the first manned aircraft flight above Mach 5.
The Soviet Union begins construction of the Berlin Wall.
Flight 2-21-37: Robert White makes the first manned aircraft flight above Mach 6.
World premiere of the motion picture “X-15” in Washington, D. C.
Flight 3-1-2: Neil Armstrong makes the first flight of X-15 no. 3.

1962
20 Feb.
20 Apr.
17 Jul.
18 Jul.
14 Oct.
9 Nov.

Mercury 6: Launch of John Glenn, who becomes first United States man to orbit the Earth.
Flight 3-4-8: Neil Armstrong makes the longest flight by the X-15 at 748.7 seconds.
Flight 3-7-14: Robert White makes the first X-15 flight above 50 miles altitude.
Collier Trophy presented to Crossfield, Walker, White, and Petersen by President Kennedy.
First of 13 days of the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Flight 2-31-52: Jack McKay crash lands and rolls over in X-15 no. 2 at Mud Dry Lake.

1963
13 May10 Jun.
22 Aug.
22 Nov.

Construction begins on the X-15A-2 (refurbished and lengthened X-15 no. 2).
Joe Engle and Milt Thompson announced as new X-15 pilots.
Flight 3-22-36: Joe Walker flies X-15 no. 3 to a record altitude of 354,200 feet (67.1 miles).
President John F. Kennedy is assassinated in Dallas, Texas.

1964
28 Jan.
7 Feb.
14 Feb.
25 Jun.

Flight 1-44-70: Robert Rushworth makes the 100th flight of the X-15 program.
The Beatles arrive in America.
Advanced X-15A-2 rollout ceremonies at North American Aviation plant in Los Angeles.
Flight 2-32-55: Robert Rushworth makes the first flight of X-15A-2 aircraft.

1965
8 Mar. Arrival of first American troops in South Vietnam.
23 Mar. Gemini 3: First mission in the two-man Gemini program.
25 Dec. Patent application submitted for Astroturf.
1966
16 Mar.
8 Jun.
12 Jul.
8 Sep.
1 Nov.
15 Dec.

Gemini 8: Neil Armstrong launched on first spaceflight. Stuck thruster causes spin. Emergency reentry.
Joseph A. Walker is killed in collision between his F-104 and the XB-70A.
Milt Thompson makes the first flight of the M2-F2 lifting body.
“Star Trek” television series premiere.
Flight 3-56-83: Bill Dana makes the last flight of X-15 above an altitude of 300,000 feet.
Walt Disney dies.

1967
27 Jan. Apollo 1 fire takes the lives of astronauts Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee.
3 Oct. Flight 2-53-97: Pete Knight sets world absolute speed record at Mach 6.70 in the X-15A-2.
9 Nov. Apollo 4: First launch of the Saturn V space vehicle.
56

15 Nov. Flight 3-65-97: Michael J. Adams is killed in X-15 no. 3. Only fatality of the X-15 program.
3 Dec. First human heart transplant accomplished by Dr. Christiaan Barnard in South Africa.
1968
4 Apr.
6 Jun.
11 Oct.
24 Oct.
20 Dec.
21 Dec.

Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee.
Sen. Robert F. Kennedy assassinated in Los Angeles, California.
Apollo 7: First manned launch of the Apollo program.
Flight 1-81-141: Bill Dana makes the 199th and final flight of the X-15 program.
Pete Knight makes the last attempted flight of the X-15 program.
Apollo 8: Launch of first manned mission around the Moon (Borman, Lovell, Anders).

1969
10 May10 Jun.
3 Jun.
16 Jul.
20 Jul.
15 Aug.

X-15 no. 1 departs Edwards AFB to Andrews AFB on C-133 (s/n 62003)
X-15 no. 1 arrives at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C.
Final episode of “Star Trek” airs on television.
Apollo 11: Launch of first manned lunar landing mission (Armstrong, Aldrin, Collins).
Former X-15 pilot Neil A. Armstrong becomes the first man to set foot on the Moon.
Woodstock rock concert takes place over three days in Bethel, New York.

1972
7 Dec. Apollo 17: Launch of final manned lunar landing mission (Cernan, Evans Schmitt).
9 Sep. Bill Dana makes the last powered flight of a rocket plane in the X-24B lifting body.
1975
27 Apr. X-15 pilot John B “Jack” McKay dies.
1976
17 Sep. Roll out of the Space Shuttle Enterprise.
1977
12 Oct. Joe Engle pilots Space Shuttle Enterprise on atmospheric test flight.
1981
12 Apr. STS-1: first launch of the Space Shuttle.
12 Nov. STS-2: Joe Engle enters space for the 4th time as commander of the Columbia.
1983
20 Sep. Decision made to write the book “The X-15 Rocket Plane, Flying the First Wings into Space.”
22 Sep. First book interview accomplished with X-15 pilot Milt Thompson and Flight Planner Jack Kolf.
1985
27 Aug. STS-51I: Joe Engle enters space for the 5th, and final, time as commander of the Discovery.
1990
13 Feb. German re-unification.
8 Dec. X-15 pilot Forrest S. Petersen dies.
1993
17 Mar. X-15 pilot Robert A. Rushworth dies.
6 Aug. X-15 pilot Milton O. Thompson dies.
2004
7 May X-15 pilot William J. “Pete” Knight dies.
2006
19 Apr. X-15 pilot A. Scott Crossfield dies.
2010
8 Jul. Solar Impulse becomes first solar-powered aircraft to complete a 24 hour flight
8 Dec. X-15 pilot Robert M. White dies.
2012
5 Aug. Mars Science Laboratory Rover Curiosity lands on Mars
12 Aug. X-15 pilot Neil A. Armstrong dies.
2014
6 May X-15 pilot William H. Dana dies.
57

8.

Glossary
APU
BCS

—
—

EAFB
—
FAI
—
High-Key —
LOX
—
LPO
—
MACH
—
MH-96
—
MIT
NAA
NACA
NASA
PIO
Q-Ball

—
—
—
—
—
—

RAS
RCS
SAS
USAF
USN
WTR
XLR-11XLR-99YLR-99

—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—

Auxiliary Power Unit.
Ballistic Control System. System of small steam rockets on the nose and wings of the X-15
used to control the attitude and orientation of the aircraft when outside the atmosphere (seealso RCS).
Edwards Air Force Base, California.
Fédération Aéronautique Internationale. Organization that verifies all aviation records.
Point at which the X-15 starts its final descent to the lakebed for landing.
Liquid Oxygen.
Launch Panel Operator.
Speed of Sound.
Minneapolis-Honeywell System that combined use of BCS with aerodynamic controls
depending on the altitude flown at the time.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
North American Aviation.
National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Pilot Induced Oscillation.
Nortronics Flight Path Control Sensor is installed on the nose of the X-15 to sense theattitude of the X-15 through dynamic air pressure, also known as Q.
Reaction Augmentation System.
Reaction Control System (see also BCS).
Stability Augmentation System.
United States Air Force.
United States Navy.
Western Test Range. WTR is located at Vandenberg AFB on the central California coast.
Interim rocket engine used while XLR-99 engine was still in development.
Primary rocket engine used in the X-15 program.
Official designation of the XLR-99 rocket engine after 29 Dec. 1961.

59